My Scarlet Letters
by earthlyXangel
Summary: Yuuki Cross is trapped in the Kuran manor, alone and longing for something she can't reach. With an offer from her 'sensei', Hanabusa Aidou, she is able to create a link with the outside world via letters. Based on Chap. 50. Zeki/Aidori.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I've been wanting to do this for a while, but haven't had time, so's now..! This chapter is a bit similar to VK Chapter 50—in fact a great deal of the dialogue is taken directly from the manga. But that is where the similarities are mostly going to end. And as you can see, for those of you who read the manga, Yuuki's answer to Aidou's offer is quite different.

Also, I know that Yuuki is generally more cheerful, but I think that as a vampire she seems a bit more troubled. And anywayz, this story would never work if I didn't alter her character a bit. For instance, the fact that this is going to be _Zeki_ and Aidori, not Kanayuu =PPP. So it's much easier if she's not head-over-heels in love with her 'onii-sama.'

Disclaimer:

Me: 'Kay, who wants to do this?

…

Me: Um…ano…guys?

…

Me: Fine! Losers. *mutter mutter* I don't own VK!!! Wish I did, but I don't.

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

_What are you thinking about…?_

The words played through her mind like a broken melody, haunting her with bittersweet notes that she could almost taste. Almost…but then they drifted away, just out of reach. It left her feeling strangely cold and empty, and she hugged her arms tighter around her fragile body, trying to contain her sudden sorrow.

Picking up the pen, she stared down at the blank sheet of paper before her, drowning in the never ending white. White…like snow…not like blood… She shivered, and shut her eyes tightly, the pen falling from her hand, hitting the paper with a muffled sound an eternity later.

"It's so quiet…," she murmured, opening her eyes again. "Soon it will be…one year…"

A loud knocking broke through the silence, causing Yuuki to jolt into shocked attention, frozen in the chair with pen and paper sitting in plain view before her. The door swung open and her tutor, Hanabusa Aidou, sauntered in, immediately turning the full force of his icy blue eyes to glare at her.

"Hey, Yuuki Cross! What are you lazing around for?!" he demanded. "Were you even studying for your next lesson?! …What's that?! Were you drawing there?!" he had spotted the paper, and began to advance towards the desk, clearly intent upon taking it.

"Ah! Huh! This is…please don't look!" she exclaimed, snatching up the paper and clutching it to her protectively. "It's a letter!"

He regarded her blandly for a moment before responding, "Hey, whatever…let's just start the lesson." He sighed, running a hand over his blond curls, "I work hard as your private teacher, so come on. Just sit down and open your textbook. Page one hundred sixty-seven."

That was right…she had nearly forgotten. How could she possibly hope to gather the fragments of that piercing melody when she was caged here…? Six months…she had been locked away for six months without sunlight or much company. There was only her brother, Aidou, and the occasional visitor. It was like a prison, and she was desperate to escape for even a mere instant. She felt stifled, suffocated, and very much alone.

Her legs gave out from under her and she half fell back down into her chair. Her heart ached for something that she could never obtain. Yet, she hoped for it anyway, clung to it fiercely in her dreams. Kaname-onii-sama could never understand that untouchable part of her soul. She had told him often enough that there were fragments of her that were reserved. He seemed to understand…but there was always a darker undercurrent hidden there, something she was not sure she could fully fathom.

She sighed, and her breath blew out across the room, shifting the flowers her brother had placed in a vase on the desk for her. A tiny reminder that the outside world still existed.

"Stop fretting," Aidou scowled, leaning back in his chair. "It's not like I'll tell Kaname-sama anyway… If he knew you were still writing letters we can't risk sending out, that would make him even more worried for you. He's already worrying himself sick, feeling bad about you having to stay hiding indoors for your safety…" He paused, then, "Hey, by the way, who were you writing to?"

"…Yori-chan…," she turned her face away, hiding her eyes from his sight to conceal the partial lie there.

"Uhm….," his brow creased as he attempted to remember, then, "Oh, _her._"

It was amazing, Yuuki thought, that he could remember a single face from the mass of students, especially after all the time that had passed. Then again, Aidou _was_ a genius, and as such, his memory was no doubt better than most. Not only that, but he _had_ saved Yori's life, and Yori _had_ insisted on retaining her memories of the day. So perhaps it was no big mystery.

"Maybe I could get the letter delivered discreetly," he mused, breaking through her thoughts. "If you get a grade of at least 75/100 on the next test I give you, of course," he added with a smug smile.

"Ugh!" she cried, glancing with horror at her textbook.

Still, the possibility of having contact with that world so far beyond her grasp… It was something she could not afford to let slip through her fingers, like so much else. Even the breeze had been reduced to nothing more than a memory.

"Just one thing, though," Aidou grew serious. "No talking about where you live, or about anything vampire related. I left the academy without erasing Sayori Wakaba's memories…but I don't know what might have happened after we left."

"Aidou-senpai…," she trailed off, a small smile nudging the corners of her mouth up for the first time in days. A touch of warmth spread through her heart as she said, "Thank you. I'll try my best so that this letter can be delivered safely. And I won't say anything that might endanger this treasured place where Kaname-senpai and I can live together now."

Treasured…the word echoed hollowly in her mouth. Treasured meant cherished, loved…not something like barred, restricted… Despite that, with the new resolve that had formed within her, she could pretend it was a treasured place for a while longer. If it meant talking with the people she held most dear, then it was worth it. She could afford to delude herself into happiness. Maybe, possibly, she could even allow that happiness to become real.

"Alright, then this next test will be on chapter eleven of your _math_ textbook," he grinned wickedly.

"Noo!" she wailed, pounding her fist against the desk uselessly. "Aidou-senpai, that's so mean!"

"I don't remember saying that it was going to be easy."

"But do you have to make it so hard??" she complained. "Math gives me a headache."

"Being your teacher gives me a headache," he muttered.

"Hey! I heard that!" she folded her arms and squinted at him.

"Your point being…? Whatever, just open your book to page one hundred sixty-seven."

"Alright…," she acquiesced with a sigh, flipping to the appropriate page.

_I won't fail_, she thought, concentrating even harder on what Aidou was saying. _I won't. I'll make sure this letter gets to Yori-chan. The derivative of the square root of x to the fifth plus eleven x plus seventeen y… _

Because, with this, she could at last find some happiness from within her cage. It would be so much better with someone to talk to. And hopefully…

_What are you thinking about…?_

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

A hand falls across thin linen sheets, pale and limp. A body curls up, convulsing as if in pain, breathing ragged and shallow. And littered about the room are empty boxes, filled with shadows, labeled in thick block writing.

'**Blood Tablets**.'

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: Review, review, review! It makes me happy!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I know it's not very good. I just haven't had time to really write something in a long while. DX So please tell me what you think! Criticism is much loved.

Disclaimer:

Me: Ahem, I do not own VK.

Yuuki: But muffins are yummy!

Me: Uh…Yuuki….

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

"Just take the damn letter!" Aidou yelled in exasperation, shaking the proffered paper impatiently.

Why was he always the one saddled with the most pointless, most annoying tasks of all??? What had he done to deserve this fate???

Oh, wait. That was right. It was his own fault. He had brought this torture upon himself. He just _had_ to promise that he would run this little errand if Yuuki had gotten a passable grade. But who would have thought that she would actually get that grade! And just to rub it in his face, she just _had_ to get _exactly_ the minimum number of points required. It was infuriating.

And, to top it off, he wasn't able to just run to Cross Academy and throw the stupid letter at Sayori Wakaba and then run off. Oh, no. That would be far too easy. No, instead she had to insist that he step into her pathetic excuse for a dorm room and wait. Wait for what??? Pigs to fly??? There was no way he was going to agree, but her clear brown eyes brooked no argument and the set of her mouth told him she was determined that he was going to be the one to give in. Stupid human.

Then, as if all this wasn't bad enough, she refused to act like a normal human girl and faint at the sight of him. He had forgiven her the last time they'd met, on account of her being terrified, but this time she had no excuse. What was wrong with her??? She was obviously retarded. No sane human girl would behave in such a manner. Not before Hanabusa Aidou!

"Would you please just come in?" she repeated, surveying him calmly. Her voice was soft but firm, her lips pressed in a straight line.

"Look, girl, I have import-" he began, eyes flashing livid crimson.

"It's Yori. Not girl," she stated evenly.

"Alright, _Yori_, I have-"

"Yori-_chan_, Aidou-senpai. You don't know me nearly well enough to address me so informally," she interrupted again, just as frustratingly serene.

"Listen here, you-" he started again, shaking with rage.

"At least come inside to yell at me, if you please. I don't fancy standing here much longer," she opened the door wider, making room to allow him to pass her.

"Do you know who I am?!" he demanded, fist clenching, nails biting into his delicate skin hard enough to draw blood.

"Yes. You are Hanabusa Aidou," she replied smoothly.

"Do you know _what _I am?!" he snarled.

"Yes. Annoying. Now, are you coming in?"

"If you don't take the damn letter _right now_, I'm dropping it on the floor and leaving!" he threatened.

"You won't do that," Yori said with certainty.

"Oh? And why won't I?"

"Because if you did, you couldn't tell Yuuki that you had delivered the letter safely to me. And second, you wouldn't have any letter of mine to return to her. Do you really want to get into trouble with Kaname-sama for making Yuuki unhappy?"

"Kaname-sama doesn't know about the letter," he returned triumphantly.

"He doesn't have to know. I'm sure Yuuki can make it clear that you were the source of her misery without mentioning it," her logic was infallible.

"_Fine,_" he huffed, striding into the room angrily.

"Thank you," she replied sincerely, shutting the door and taking the letter.

He didn't answer. Instead, he attempted to calm down, trying to ignore his furious thoughts. It couldn't end well if he worked himself up into enough of a tantrum that he forgot himself and ended up sucking the life out of Yuuki's best friend. No, that would definitely mean a slow death for him. Not that the idea wasn't tempting. He would thoroughly enjoy removing such an irritating creature from existence.

"You can sit down, you know," Yori murmured, gesturing to the bed across from hers. She was already seated, back against the wall, the letter in her hand.

He sighed and plopped down on the bed, noting the hardness of the mattress with a scowl. Who chose the furniture here, anyway? Not that it especially mattered to him. He wasn't the one who was stuck sleeping on it. He glanced at Yori smugly. Served her right that she had to sleep on such an uncomfortable bed.

The petite brunette opened the envelope carefully and extracted the paper from inside. There were more sheets there than he remembered, but he dismissed it. What did it matter how much Yuuki wanted to babble on, anyway? Except for the fact that he had to wait even longer before he could leave…

Yori's eyes flicked back and forth across the page, taking in Yuuki's undoubtedly nonsensical words. He watched her idly. At times, her mouth would curve up into a gentle smile, and at other times, would tighten slightly, perhaps in thought. He was rather intrigued with her expressions, and his anger slipped away after a few moments.

As she read, he occupied the time with studying her. She wasn't one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen, but she was certainly pretty. Her bronze hair and warm eyes evoked a certain response. She seemed soft, something precious that needed protection, but he knew that she was capable of taking care of herself. She was certainly capable of handling _him_, he thought bitterly.

Before long, she crawled to the head of her bed and opened a drawer in the table beside it. From within, she withdrew paper, pencil, and a book that he recognized as '_Pride and Prejudice_.' He'd actually read that one when he was younger. And strangely, he remembered liking it, too.

She returned to her former position, placed the paper on the book, and placed the book onto her lap. Then she began to write, the pencil moving quickly, filling the room with faint scratching sounds as it formed the letters to her words. He flopped over onto his back, staring at the ceiling, bored. Hopefully this wouldn't take much longer and he could get back to the Kuran mansion.

The pencil continued its rhythm, offsetting both the steady beating of Yori's heart and her quiet breathing. Her heartbeat was much faster than his own, a mouse compared with a snake, pumping her delicious smelling blood at a swift pace through her small body.

He tensed. Her blood did smell maddeningly sweet. Almost as sweet as Yuuki's, which was impossible to match. It held the faint scent of autumn and lavender. A peculiar combination, but a delectable one.

_Get a grip, Hanabusa_, he mentally scolded himself. _Why should you need the blood of such a pitiable, obviously impaired, _human_ girl? Tablets are preferable. And anyway, what do you think would happen if you decided to make a snack out of Yuuki's friend?_

He sighed, sitting up quickly. Clearly, he should have followed his original plan to drop off the letter and get the hell out.

"Almost done," she assured him, breaking the silence.

"Good," he muttered.

She glanced up at him, mildly amused, "Why did you bring the letter if it bothers you so much?"

"Because I promised I would," he said flatly.

"Yes…Yuuki said you seemed surprised that she managed to meet your requirements," she bit back a smile. "She says to warn you that she won't be defeated so easily."

He shook his head, "Is she _asking_ for more work? Stupid girl…"

"Please don't make it too difficult for her, Aidou-senpai. She's trying very hard and she wants to talk to me very much."

"I can't. She can't do much better than that," he rolled his eyes. "Not in math, anyway."

"That's harsh. Making her get a C in the subject she despises. Not to mention…I don't believe I've ever seen her get a C before in that class… She must have worked much harder than she led me to believe," Yori frowned thoughtfully.

"She say anything else in there about me?" he asked, partially out of irritation and partially out of curiousity. "Like how cruel and despicable I am?"

"Actually, she wrote that although you're very strict, you're also a very good teacher and she's learned much more from you than from her sensei here. And she's very grateful that you brought me the letter."

"Hunh," he had nothing to say to that. It wasn't what he'd expected at all.

Yori smiled, then folded her papers and placed them in the envelope that Yuuki's had come in. She tucked the flap down so that it closed, and held it out to him, "Here. I don't have any envelopes, though I'll get some in town as soon as I can. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't read it. Though, if you must…"

"I won't read it," he grumbled, taking it and shoving it into his coat pocket. "I'm sure it's full of nonesense anyhow."

"No doubt," she returned, a touch of laughter brightening her eyes.

"Alright then, have a good evening," he said briskly, moving to the door.

"Ah, Aidou-senpai?" she seemed a little hesitant.

"What?" he turned tiredly, only wanting to get out.

"Are…will you be the one to bring me the next letter?"

He rolled his eyes, "Obviously. And _if_ there's a next letter. Don't get your hopes up."

"Hmm…," her fingers tapped the blanket idly for a moment before she asked, "What do you like to eat?"

"What do I…," his brow furrowed in confusion at her question. What was the idiot human trying to pull now? "Why does that even matter?" he snapped.

"Well…the tablets must taste pretty bad…and I know you must be hungry coming all the way out here, and quickly enough that Kaname-sama won't get mad at you. So, I could have something here for the next time you come."

His eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch with every word. She was going to feed him, now? Or, had she noticed that he was strangely attracted to her blood? As if he would even try to drink it…

Instead, he replied, "Keep a box of crackers in here or something. They won't go bad. Okay? Good night."

"Good night," she murmured as he stepped out and shut the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Yori glanced out the window, where the snow fell past as delicate puffs of white.

"Yuuki…," she whispered, allowing her eyes to drift shut. "I will definitely try my best."

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

In a dark place, someone asks, "How many tablets have you taken in the past hour?"

Another person responds, voice hoarse in the black, "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I lost count months ago."

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: See that review button? You KNOW you wanna press it. You do. You know you do.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorries, I know it's been a while! I took some of this from chapter 51, so if the dialogue seems a little familiar there…it is. xDD I was really at a loss for this chapter, so I hope it goes okay!

Disclaimer: I don't own VK!

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

Yuuki leaned her head against the chill glass of the window, allowing a small smile to nudge her mouth upwards as her skin absorbed its frosty touch. Outside, the snow drifted slowly to the ground, a vast world of frozen cotton and faded dreams. She raised her hand to trace her fingers through the mist of her breath, then merely let them fall, staring at the steaks they had left behind as though enraptured.

She knew she wasn't supposed to be in the front rooms of the house. Someone might see her, and with so many people wanting her dead, she was aware of the danger her current location presented. Yet, she couldn't bear to pry herself away. She couldn't remember the last time she had looked outside, reassurred herself that it remained. Kaname was away again, on another of his endless meetings and tasks. She could afford this small pleasure in his absence. How would he know of what she'd done?

Closing her eyes, Yuuki merely let herself drift. In the comforting black of her mind, she sifted through the fragmented images of her memory. She remembered Yori, the Chairman, the other members of the night class… What had happened to them? Where were they now? She hadn't seen even a glimpse of the people who had once made up her entire world.

Did they ever think of her…?

Did _he_ ever think of her…?

Silver flashed through her mind. It was so different from brown, from red, from white, the colors that were splashed across the canvas of her current home. Silver was something rare, something forbidden and dangerous, something free… Something she longed for.

"Yuuki-sama! Just what do you think you're doing?!" an all too familiar voice slashed brutally through her reverie.

Yuuki jolted upright, leaping from her perch in the window seat, feeling a flush of embarrassment creep over her at being caught. She shifted uncomfortably, glancing surreptitiously from under long lashes to see her tutor's expression.

"Watching the snow?" she replied innocently.

Aidou sighed, grabbing her arm and dragging her further into the house, "Kaname-sama will kill me if he finds out that you were out there. Do you want me to die? Is this some master plan of yours to get rid of me because I made you take a math test and get a C???"

"Maybe," she answered, and when he turned his head to glare at her, she stuck out her tongue, saying, "Next time make it a different subject!"

"I planned on that," he muttered. "How do you feel about geography?"

"Geography???" she exclaimed in horror. "Why???"

"It's important to know about the country you live in and the world around you."

"It's also important not to kill your student by overheating her brain!" she flailed.

He rolled his eyes, releasing her arm as they came back towards the centric rooms of the mansion, "Well, if you don't want to learn geography, then I'd be happy to forget about being your personal mailman."

"Oh! Did you give her my letter?!" Yuuki asked, eyes lighting up.

"Yeah," he scowled. "And it was a real pain in the butt, too."

"What did she say? Did she give you a letter for me?"

He sighed again and pulled an envelope from the hidden pocket in his jacket, "Be grateful."

"I am! Thank you so much, Aidou-senpai!" she reached for the envelope hurriedly.

"Hold on one minute," he drew the letter out of reach, ignoring her frown. "Do you promise to study your hardest for this next test?"

"Yes!" she agreed impatiently.

"And do you promise that I won't have to play mailman unless you get an 80 on your test?"

"An 80???" dismay washed through her.

"An 80," he repeated firmly.

"Fine," she glowered at him.

"Good," and he tossed her the envelope, heading off with a yawn.

"Thanks," she called, after nearly dropping the envelope in an attack of clumsiness.

"Whatever," he returned, and then was out of sight.

Clutching the envelope in trembling hands, she could hear her heart pounding. This was it. Her connection to the world. A way to speak with Yori. But most of all…a link to _him_. She drew a shaky breath and removed the letter from inside, ducking into the study to her right.

Yuuki huddled in the corner, making herself as small as possible. She knew the act was futile. Anyone could easily find her by her smell, but she felt that she was better hidden, more secretive this way.

She unfolded the paper, closing her eyes for a long moment before opening them again to focus on the words before her. She smiled at the familiar, neat handwriting, her heart twisting with a sudden ache. She missed Yori, missed the academy, missed her adoptive father. She missed every aspect of her former life.

She missed being human.

She held the paper to her nose, inhaling the scents there. She could smell fabric softener from Yori's sheets, pine from the desk drawer Yori had always kept her paper in, the autumn and lavender scent that belonged solely to Yori, and unfortunately, Aidou's scent from carrying the letters. Her nose crinkled slightly at this last one, but she didn't mind. He was the one who had made this letter possible, after all.

Steeling herself, Yuuki began to read.

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Time passes….

…even for him…

…even without _her_…

Memory, pain is supposed to fade over time.

So why isn't the pain going away?

Why can't he let go..?

A hand reaches out, and shaking, grips another box of tablets. The unquenchable thirst is burning him through, seizing every wisp of thought. All he can think about is _her_. Her scent, her smile, her laughter….

…her blood…

777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Cross Academy was bustling with activity. It was nearly eleven in the morning, the bell had just rung for class changes, lunch was being prepared in the cafeteria, and Zero Kiryuu had been waylaid by the small group of students who had retained their memories from the vampire incident the previous year.

"What a pain in the ass," the tall, silver haired youth snarled. "Get off my back already." His eyes were thunderous, flashing with the lightning of his maelstrom emotions. "I already told you before…I'm a member of the Hunter Assocation, but I'm not in a position to be telling you anything or deciding anything."

"But Kiryuu," the Boy's Dorm President protested, "the Night Class not coming back doesn't mean they've become an enemy, you know."

"I've told you already, all I know is what Yagari and the others from the Association have told me," he glowered blackly at them. "There are vampires who aren't enemies, like you say, but the opposite is also true, so don't go getting yourself wrapped up in any weird illusions about them. Any vampire who's caused harm and is recognized as an enemy by the Association _will_ be hunted down, at the peril of the lives of us hunters. That is all there is to know," he ended with finality, eyes challenging them to ask further.

There was a collective pause from the group as they took in his words. Then he said, "I'm going. If you people don't want to get your memories erased, too, then stop pestering me with all that." His gaze swept across the group one last time, and then he strode off, anger radiating from his retreating back.

"Zero-kun!" a voice called out, and he turned slightly to see Yori breaking off from the others to race towards him. "Yuuki…you won't hurt her or anything, will you…? She hasn't done anything bad…" Her voice fell into silence at his dark glare.

She swallowed, fingers fluttering uncertainly against the unobtrusive envelope tucked among her notebooks. How would Zero respond to it? Would he take the letter…or would it only upset him further? She took a deep breath. She had promised Yuuki that she would do this, and she could not back away from it now, no matter how daunting the task seemed.

"Yuuki…she really misses you," she tried.

"How would you know that?" he demanded sharply.

"She sent me a letter," she didn't pause at the visible change in his expression, but pushed on, "A letter asking me to deliver this to you." She slid the envelope from the stack of books and held it out to him. With a softer tone, she added, "She really wants to talk to you."

"I don't want that," he cut through her sentence brutally.

"But, she went through a lot of trouble to get it to you. She's wanted to send it all along. I really think you should-"

"I don't give a damn how it got here. I don't want something that's been touched by a vampire," he spat the word with such loathing, she cringed. With that, he whirled away from her and started off, pace much faster this time.

"Zero-kun!" she shouted, taking off after him. "Please! Just take it! You don't have to read it, but at least take it! At least let me say I was able to give it to you!"

He stopped so abruptly, she almost crashed into his back. Pulling herself up short, she barely had time to regain her senses before she felt the envelope being jerked from her hand.

"Fine," he answered curtly, and when he took off again, she made no move to follow.

"Oh, Yuuki…," she whispered into the air. "I'm so sorry…"

But she didn't see him close his eyes, raising the envelope to lightly brush against his lips for one brief moment before shoving it unceremoniously inside his pocket.

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: Reviewing makes the world go round.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: A HUGE thank you to all of you who've reviewed! I can't say how happy it makes me to find new reviews! I think I've been good about replying, but if I've skipped over one or two by accident, I'll say it here: thank you, thank you!!!!

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

This was impossible. Freaking impossible. Who the hell would have thought that Kuran Yuuki would be able to pull off two decent grades in a row?! It was as improbable as winning the lottery, yet somehow she had managed to do it. Was this his divine punishment for tasting her blood?

So not only did he have to live with Yuuki's glowing accomplishment, but also with driving miles out of his way to hand deliver a single envelope to the most irritating creature in existence. And all of this had to be conducted without creating a single blip on Kaname-sama's radar.

Therefore, his mood wasn't exactly flowers and sunshine when he showed up at Yori's door.

"Aidou-senpai!" she exclaimed softly, eyes lighting up as they spotted the familiar shape of an envelope in his hand.

"Happy to see me?" he gave her a devlish smirk. "That's perfectly understandable, seeing as how a man of my appearance is standing in the doorway to your bedroom. Any girl would-"

"Are you coming in or what?" she asked dryly. Glancing at his hand, he realized she'd already taken the envelope and was holding the door open expectantly.

The grin fell into a scowl and he demanded, "Are you totally blind?"

"Apparently. Now, are we going to repeat what happened last time or are you going to come in and save yourself the trouble?"

"Tch," he brushed past her, mood plummeting even further.

"Good," she shut the door and moved to her spot on the bed, slitting the envelope open with a fingernail.

He watched her warily for a moment, half afraid she would give herself a paper cut by accident, but the envelope opened easily. He let out a mental sigh of relief, and sat gloomily on the other bed, switching on his full sulking power.

Aidou could sum up the whole experience with few words: it sucked. There was undoubtedly divine intervention involved, because there was no way that Yuuki could have done so well on her tests without it.

"It can't really be that bad, can it?" Yori's calm question broke through his thoughts. "You make it look like you're being tortured."

"I am," he muttered under his breath, then said in a voice she could hear, "This is one of the last things I'd like to be doing."

"Why?"

For a one worded question, it sure required a long response. One that he wasn't eager to give her. He opted for the highly edited version.

"It's boring. And if Kaname-sama finds out, I'm dead. Got it?" he glared.

"It's only boring because you make it that way," she pointed out. "If you put in a little effort, I'm sure you could find something to talk to me about."

"Why the hell would I want to talk to you?" he demanded.

She shrugged, "I don't know. I could be interesting."

"_Interesting_? A little _human_ girl?" he stared at her in disbelief.

"Humans can be interesting, too, you know. Just because we don't enjoy sucking blood from people doesn't make us dull. In fact, I'd wager that a great deal of humans are more interesting than you. All you seem capable of is being rude and unpleasant," her eyes had hardened during those few sentences, her mouth pressing into a thin line.

"Do you ever smile?" he asked suddenly, angry in spite of himself at the expression she was showing. He didn't like it. It was too rigid, too uncompromising. If she would just smile, he was sure she'd be beautiful.

"I've been known to…" she returned, obviously a little puzzled by his question. "Why does that matter?"

"Just wondering," he answered, abruptly feeling ridiculous. Why _did_ it matter? Why should he care if she smiled or not? He sighed. Clearly, the boredom was messing with his brain.

She watched him for a moment, then her eyes flicked back to the letter. He wondered if Yuuki had included something about him this time, too. Maybe she was telling Yori that he was a slave driver for making her get an 80 on a test. Maybe Yori would write back that he was, in her words, 'rude and unpleasant.'

_I don't care_, he thought firmly. _I don't care what the hell she thinks about me_.

Still, the more his mind dwelled on it, the more frustrated he got. She already obviously found him to be unattractive, and on top of that, it seemed she didn't like him for his personality either. Not that he'd really given her anything positive to go off of.

He took a deep breath, then, "I'm not really that bad, you know…"

Yori's eyebrows raised slightly, her eyes glittering with a touch of amusement, "I never said you were."

"Well, I mean I'm not just…rude and unpleasant…," he replied lamely. He didn't know what to say. The number of charming phrases that sprang to mind would undeniably only reinforce her beliefs of him.

"True. I'd also say that you're somewhat conceited," she answered serenely, keeping her eyes on the letter so as not to betray the gleam of laughter there.

Rage coursed through him, but he shoved it down. Getting mad would _definitely_ promote his rude and unpleasant side. Instead, he forced himself to remain calm and tried a different tactic.

"I read _Pride and Prejudice_, too," he nodded towards the desk.

"It's a good book," she said simply.

"And?" he grit his teeth.

"And I liked it."

"Is that all you have to say?!" he burst out without meaning to, aggravation flooding through him.

"Yes."

He was going to kill her. He was going to leap over there and strangle her to death. She was positively maddening. Here he was, trying to make an effort to become _interesting_, for heaven's sake, and she was deflecting all of his attempts without mercy.

And then, just before he gave in to his violent thoughts, she set the letter down and actually smiled. It wasn't a vivid smile, only a small and amused one, but it was enough to erase the lines and angles of her previous expressions. It was enough to prove that he had been right. If she smiled, she was beautiful.

Definitely beautiful.

"My mother gave me that book," she told him, regaining her serious composure, though the hint of a smile remained,"it was her favorite to read to me. That's why I always keep it beside my bed. It's always been one of my favorites, too. I'm amazed you remembered that I had it."

"Why couldn't you just say that from the start?" he grumbled, though her smile had effectively mollified him.

"Because, watching your reaction was much more interesting," she chuckled and moved to get the paper to write her response.

"No doubt," he rolled his eyes.

"So this time it was geography?"

Her change of subject surprised him, but he nodded, saying, "She was falling behind in it."

"She said that she thought her brain would explode," Yori commented as she wrote.

"I wish it would have," he responded sullenly. "It would have saved me the trouble. She's trying to kill me, I swear."

"Really?" came the sarcastic reply.

"Sending me out with these secret letters, sitting in the front rooms of the mansion…it's all an evil plot…," he complained.

"Mansion? Yuuki said her house was big but…."

"Shit," he realized he'd just done exactly what he'd forbidden Yuuki to do. Give vital information away.

"W-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Pretend you didn't hear that," he swallowed, imagining Kaname's hand as it swept towards him to cleanly remove his head…

"Alright, I didn't hear it," she brushed his concern away casually. "These secrets are safe with me, Aidou-senpai. I wouldn't betray Yuuki."

"You would if someone like Kaname-sama wanted information from you," his voice was edged with warning.

"Maybe," she allowed. "Let me finish this and then you can be on your way."

"Fine," he lay back on the bed, wishing she'd hurry.

Though it _was_ partially his fault for distracting her in the first place. But maybe she didn't think he was a total jerk now...? He mentally laughed at himself. What had he done so far to show that he wasn't? Nothing at all. Damn.

And why was he getting so worked up over this?

Damn again.

With nothing to do, there was nothing to keep his senses from going astray. He effortlessly picked up the delicious scent of Yori's blood. And since he seemed to be stuck on the subject, he could say that it was an interesting smell. An interesting and positively irresistab-

_No way_, his mind grinded to a halt.

There was no way that he was craving her blood. Absolutely not. The thought was absurd. What kind of sick bastard would that make him? Anyway, there were plenty of prettier girls than Yori. Though perhaps they weren't nearly as…_interesting_. Or as irritating, he reminded himself.

But…it was impossible to ignore that delicate flavor as it drifted from her pale skin. He clenched his fist. He was not going to bite Yuuki's friend. Instead, he bit his lip, drawing blood and enjoying the pain it caused.

_I really am a sick, masochistic jerk_, he thought.

It was all too long before she said the words, "Okay, finished."

He practically leapt up, taking the envelope from her hand without pause. He had to get out. A few tablets would do the trick, but until then, he needed to remove himself from her company.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern.

"Nothing. Have a good night," he told her.

Her brow furrowed, and then her eyes widened subtly, "Oh."

"What? What does 'oh' mean?" he demanded, mood reverting to 'black' as his mind was assualted by her smell, leaving him little room to think.

"I did bring the crackers…," she offered uncertainly.

"I don't need those," he all but snarled, moving to the door. "Good night, Yori-chan."

"Good night…" she murmured, and he shut the door behind him, ignoring her concerned expression.

Damn it! Why did these things always, always happen to him? He pushed the envelope as far into his jacket pocket as it would go. He didn't need to be reminded of autumn and lavender as he drove. All he needed was to get back to the mansion, down a few tablets, and pretend that he had never left in the first place.

This was definitely, definitely a divine punishment. There was no other explanation.

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Yori shivered, hugging her arms around her for a moment. There had been no denying the faint crimson glow in Aidou's eyes before he had stormed out. It was all too keen a reminder of just what sort of being he was.

Vampire.

She shuddered again, and let her gaze fall to the papers sitting beside her. Another letter from Yuuki. Another letter for Zero. But what would he think of this one? She wondered if he'd even opened the last one. Or had it just been trash?

Letting out a small sigh, she placed the papers inside her dresser, piled between layers of clothing. It wasn't an especially ingenious hiding place, but under a mere cursory inspection, they would remain out of sight.

Now, all she could do was wait for morning. She prayed that he would take this letter. Even if just to throw it into some disused corner of his room. For Yuuki's sake, she prayed .

_Take the letter tomorrow, Zero. Please take the letter. _

Because she had a strange feeling that Yuuki was depending on it.

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Dirty sunlight filters feebly though the glass, giving the crumpled envelope on the floor a sickly halo of light.

On the bed, silver hair tousled, expression distorted with agony, a figure has at last fallen asleep, if merely for a scant few moments.

There is only silence, but through the unclean morning rays, his lips can be seen moving inaudibly with a single word.

"Yuuki."

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--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: What do you think? What was that, you think you should review? I couldn't agree more! Do it right now! Lolol.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Aidou's starting to snap. O.O

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

"Here's your damn letter," Aidou snapped, chucking it at her as he walked into the room.

The letter struck a surprised Yuuki directly on the forehead as she turned around from the desk she'd been studying at. Her mouth opened slightly, and then she blinked, simply picking the letter up from where it had fallen into her lap.

She looked at him with curiousity as he snatched her glass of water and downed it along with three or four tablets from the container in his pocket. She wasn't sure how many he'd swallowed, but she knew it was far more than he'd ever stuck in his mouth at one time. Aidou especially loathed the taste of the tablets, and usually had to be threatened by Kaname into taking them.

"Are you alright?" she asked, slightly worried.

"Fine. I'm just freakin' fine," he snarled harshly, slamming the now empty cup back onto the desk.

"If you were that thirsty, you should have pulled in somewhere for a drink," she said a bit crossly, peeved that he'd drank her water.

"Oh, I did, believe me," he laughed, a touch hysterically, and she really focused on him. His eyes were still tinged scarlet, even after so many tablets. "I got a freaking drink. And then I drove here and did it again," he gestured to her glass angrily.

She frowned, "Are you sick?"

"Sick? _Sick_?" he passed a hand in front of his eyes. "I think that's a good description."

He turned to walk out, but she stopped him, standing up from her chair, "Wait. Aidou-senpai….what's wrong? Really?"

"How the hell should I know?" he demanded, though the question was rhetorical. "I'm a damn genius but I don't freaking know anything."

"When did this start?" she approached him warily, wondering when Kaname would be home.

"Start? When did it start?" he whirled on her, eyes flashing. "It _started_ when you sent me on your ridiculous errand! That's when it started! …Enjoy your letter," his voice was laced with sarcasm as he stormed from the room.

Yuuki stared after him, stunned. What had just happened? She'd seen Aidou in a variety of moods, few of them pleasant, but she had never seen one quite on this scale. And she had never seen him take tablets like they were candy before. Maybe there was a perfectly logical explanation in the letter from Yori.

She retreated to the desk and opened the envelope, slipping the crisp pages out with lithe hands. She loved the handwriting that belonged to Yori. It was neat, precise, and attractive. It was enjoyable to just look at the letters, even without processing the words they formed. But more than that, she loved the subtle scent that clung to those sheets. It was a scent that could never be copied, as unique and wonderful as Yori alone was.

Her heart felt a little lighter as she began to read the letter. Yori had a great deal of interesting things to report, from the Chairman dancing around the halls one morning and singing songs from musicals, to a short lived invasion by the boys into the girl's dorm one night. But it wasn't until towards the end of the letter that Yuuki's attention was truly caught.

_Aidou-senpai was in a fizz again, as expected, to deliver your letter. It has come out that I am a dull human girl, apparently, and so his royal highness is suffocating from being caged with a peasant for a mere hour or two. This, and his firm belief that, should he be discovered, he will be beheaded. Thou thinkest that he is overdramatic much?_

_Still, I don't dislike him. He must be a good person, buried underneath all his childishness, for him to actually follow through with the letters. I don't think he minds as much as he'd like me to believe. He actually seems rather desperate to be on better terms with me. I'm taking this as a good sign. Right now, however, he's moping. I guess I shouldn't expect much more. _

_I did give your letter to Zero-kun. And I'll make sure he gets this one, too. There are rumors that he may be promoted to Council President soon, but I don't know if they're true. He won't say anything about the subject. I'll keep you posted._

Yuuki scanned over the words again. And again. But it was useless. The paper wouldn't divulge anything further to her than what was written. There was no word about how Zero had reacted, if he'd promised to read her letter, or if he'd offered to send one back. And there was nothing to explain Aidou's condition. Absolutely nothing.

Frustration welled up within her, but she forced it back. What good would it do? She'd have to write back to Yori and ask pointed questions, but it would be another two weeks before Aidou would even give her another test. For once, she longed for more school work.

Sighing, she disintegrated the paper with a flick of her fingers, leaving no trace behind. She'd become more accostumed to her vampiric powers now, but she still found them strange and disorienting. The human Yuuki would never have dreamed herself capable of such a thing.

_The human Yuuki wouldn't have gotten into this situation, either,_ a small voice echoed in the back of her mind.

She brushed the words away. They only filled her with sorrow. In her mind, she knew the human Yuuki had never truly existed, but in her heart… The human Yuuki still occupied the majority of it, a faded and spectral presence.

Removing her own paper from the desk, she ran the questions she longed to ask through her head. How was Zero doing? Did he miss her at all? Did he ever think of her? But she couldn't say such things. Instead, she merely penned:_ How has Zero been lately?_ It was a pale version of the questions built up inside her, but she knew Yori would see through them and know her inner longing.

And then, beneath that single question, she wrote: _Aidou seemed upset when he came home. He drank up all my water, too! That pig! Do you know what's going on with him? Did he say anything to you before he left?_

She prayed that Yori would answer. Her words were all that Yuuki had left. Her words, and the faint, battered hope that someday she would be able to see that familiar, silver edged face again…

Her eyes shut, fingers trembling on the pen almost imperceptibly as she allowed her lips to silently form that forbidden word.

"Zero."

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Aidou slammed his fist against the wall, letting up only when he realized he would break right through it. Rage boiled in his veins. How _dare_ that stupid, pathetic human do this to him! She was just an annoyance, a fragile spark of dying light destined to sputter out within a few short years. And yet, her blood was calling to him, clogging his nostrils, blinding his thoughts. He'd never smelled any blood as sweet, as _perfect_ as hers.

_Damn it!_ the thought crashed through him violently.

There was no way in hell that he was attracted to her blood. This sort of thing was _not_ going to happen to him. He wouldn't allow it.

Oh but wait, that was right. He wasn't in hell yet. He was still on Earth.

Damned if he could tell the difference.

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Yori pursed her lips, clutching the letter more firmly in her hand. She wasn't going to back down. Zero was _going_ to take the letter, whether he liked it or not. So she waited, hidden discreetly around the corner of the building he would be passing any moment now. An ambush was certain to work.

_Yuuki would love this sort of thing_, she thought wryly. _It's like a secret mission._

She waited tensely. Zero was unlikely to be very happy at being confronted like this, and she really didn't want to face him while he was radiating waves of anger a mile long. But she would do it anyway, for Yuuki. Yuuki was the only one she'd do something like this for.

Her fingers fiddled with the upper corner of the envelope. What did Yuuki say to him? Yori always respected her friend's privacy, but she was still curious. Was it a simple letter, like the ones Yori received, or something more?

_What did one vampire say to another?_ It sounded like a bad joke, but the sudden thought left her with a realization. Everyone she knew seemed to be a vampire. Everyone but her. Yuuki was a vampire, Aidou was a vampire…even Zero was a vampire.

Aidou. The name sent a shiver down her spine. Her memory flashed to those crimson eyes, glowing dangerously in the dim light of her dorm room. She could never think of Yuuki as a vampire like that, nor Zero. But Aidou was the definition of the word. He wasn't just a mythical creature, he was a deadly one, and he took no pains to hide it. Rather, he seemed to flaunt his genetic differences and purposely draw attention to the contrast between her and himself.

Her thoughts were cut off abruptly as she detected the swish of a jacket. Zero's footsteps created no sound, but the jacket was a dead give away to his presence. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing, and then leapt out from her cover. Zero jerked to a halt at her unexpected appearance, expression instantly changing from 'pissed' to 'extremely pissed,' all within a single second's span of time.

"What?" His eyes were murderous, locking onto the envelope, "Oh." And with that, he wrenched it from her hand and stalked off.

Yori blinked, startled. She glanced down at her hand, then back at Zero, who's form was growing ever smaller as he hurried to his next class. Then she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation.

But at least he had taken the letter without a fight.

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If only he could chase her from his thoughts. Her name was always at the tip of his tongue, her face imprinted on the back of his eyelids. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her. Smiling, crying, laughing…he could remember each and every expression with painfully vivid detail.

The envelope burned in his hand like acid. Beneath that flimsy layer of paper, he could detect her scent. It scorched through him, leaving him drained and breathless. If only he could see her face for one moment, just one, he was sure this agony would fade. He longed to reassure himself that Yuuki, the human Yuuki, still lived somewhere inside of the monster that had taken over.

The corner of his mouth moved up into a sneer. Monster. Just like him.

He flung the envelope away, where it hit the floor and skidded to a stop beside the first. A hollow laugh built inside him, one that he didn't give voice to. He and Yuuki…they were just a pair of monsters, now.

Curling up on the bed, he couldn't avert his eyes from those two unopened envelopes. A part of him wanted to open them, to read those long awaited words, to inhale her warm scent. But another part of him wanted to cast them into a fire, pretend they had never existed, and watch them burn until they were nothing more than scattered ashes.

His fist clenched slowly, nails puncturing the skin until blood slicked his palms. Thinking of her, his eyes blazed red, and there was nothing to quench the insatiable thirst.

He forced his eyes shut, trying to blank out his mind. Maybe, somewhere in the black of sleep, he could lose this pain, if only for a moment.

Maybe…

But he knew that maybe was as distant as the hope of ever seeing her again.

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--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: If you press the review button, good things are sure to happen!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews so far. They're my motivation and inspiration!

This chapter was a nightmare. The file got corrupted and I spent hours trying to rewrite it. Then, I discovered an amazing program that was able to restore the lost document. Thank you, God. I still had to repair it further (none of the grammar marks were there), but hey, it works, and I'm so grateful. So if you see a missing period or quotation mark, I don't want to hear it. I tried my best to make it perfect again.

On a more cheerful note, I discovered how many 7's it takes to go across the whole screen. WOO!

I keep forgetting to do this, but:

**Disclaimer:** I do not own VK. If I did, Kaname would safely be married to Sara, Zeki babies would be running around everywhere, Shima would be confirmed, Luca and Kain would be on their honeymoon, and Ichijou would have a lovely pairing with some girl who was not an abusive torturer or a stoic and hardly-ever-seen, hardly-known-about bodyguard. =D

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

Aidou hated her. He officially hated her. How could one small girl have the capacity to completely ruin his life? Ever since his last visit, he had been plagued by autumn and lavender. It was the taste he craved, and at the same time, abhorred. It was all her fault. He needed to get her scent out of his head.

And of course, since fate despised him as much as he despised Sayori Wakaba, it had started pouring down rain right as he was arriving at the academy. Naturally, he didn't have an umbrella, and so now he was standing outside the dreaded dorm room, soaking wet and dripping water in a vast lake around his feet. The letter, he had saved with a saintly act, stuffing it under his shirt while he hurried through the rain. It, unlike him, was mostly dry. He glowered at it accusingly.

Why did Yuuki have to suddenly develop an academic zest? This past test had been on physics, and like the tests before, she had squeaked a satisfactory grade. He didn't know how she was doing it. Magic? Some pureblood power that he knew nothing about? Whatever the reason, here he was yet again, stuck in his role as private postman.

At least Kaname was pleased with his bride-to-be's obvious academic improvement. The pureblood monarch had asked how Aidou had accomplished this feat, to which he had answered, 'I just got her motivated.' But he would never utter a word of what that motivation truly happened to be. Not if he valued his life.

The door swung open, filling with Yori's petite form. Upon seeing him, her eyebrows rose a good inch, and then she gestured for him to come in, biting her lip as he dripped into her room.

Somehow, in a way that he would never have imagined, all his anger simply fell away upon seeing her. The autumn and lavender wafted gently to his nose, and he inhaled deeply, letting the strange combination fill his lungs like a drug. Instantly, the tight pain around his chest and throat lessened, as if he had been in withdrawal and now, having had a sweet relapse, was finally able to feel whole again. Seeing her clear brown eyes calmed him. He felt grounded for the first time in the two weeks since he'd last seen her. Amazing what such a short amount of time could do.

"Hello, Aidou-senpai," she greeted him a bit dryly, eyeing the puddle that was forming on her floor.

"Hello," he returned, unsure of exactly what to say. Looking at her more closely, he had to wonder. Had she always been so beautiful? Even when she didn't smile, the curves of her face held a beauty he hadn't noticed before. Or had he?

"Sorry, I'm a bit wet," he told her seriously.

"I noticed that," Yori replied blandly, and he felt suddenly stupid. Of course he was wet. Duh. Anyone would have seen that. "While your observation is quite astounding, I'm afraid I can't let you turn my bedroom into a swimming pool. Could you wait here for just a second?"

"Yeah," he muttered, wishing for a moment that he could sink into the floor and disappear.

But why should he feel like that? He was the one suffering, not her. Here he was, wet and feeling like an idiot, and all on some pointless and trivial errand. Hanabusa Aidou should never feel like vanishing. In fact, she should be so grateful that she'd kiss the floor at his feet. Her and Yuuki both-

At this point, Yori had come back into the room, two fluffy white towels slung over one arm. She shut the door behind her quietly, and immediately his train of thought was cut off. Instead, his mind was rather blank. How could he not have noticed the way the lamplight brought out the highlights of her hair?

Still clutching the letter, he stood there dumbly as she set one of the towels on the first bed and took a step toward him with the other, shaking it out. He offered the envelope to her, but she shook her head.

"Just hold it for a minute," she commanded.

"Okay," he dropped his hand to his side. What was with all these one worded answers today? He was a genius, for crying out loud. He should be able to talk circles around her, on a bad day. Polygons, on a good one.

He felt something drop onto his head, and blinked in surprise as the world, quite abruptly, turned a rather dim white. Then the white was pulled back so that he could see, and he realized it was the towel. She was actually going to dry off his hair? He scowled at the thought of his curls being messed up, but she was doing it gently, so as not to muss up his look too badly. It was rather nice, he thought vaguely, that she was doing this.

"It's raining," he said by way of explanation.

"I know," she replied, ducking her head for a beat to hide a smile.

_Brilliant, Hanabusa. Really, you _are_ a winner. I'm sure you'd like to comment on the fact that rain is wet, as well?_ he thought morosely.

"I can do that," he told her, catching her wrist with his free hand.

"Alright. I just thought I'd help," she shrugged lightly, letting go with her other hand.

"That's nice of you," he struggled for words. Why was it that with her, he had nothing good to say?

"Aidou-senpai," her voice called to his attention.

"What?"

"Can you let go of my hand?" she glanced at her wrist pointedly.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, releasing her.

"It's okay," she replied.

At a loss, he resorted to occupying himself with getting dry. Yori plucked the envelope from his hand and settled herself down to read it, as usual. When he was at least decently dry, he placed the towel on the floor to soak up some of the water, and spread the other one over the bed to sit on.

From there, he contented himself with watching her read the letter. It seemed almost to have become a ritual. He came in, acted like a moron, and then settled down to watch her. He sighed to himself. He was doing just great, just wonderful. He was assuredly making the entire vampire race proud with his extraordinary people skills.

Yoris eyebrows shot up again, and she tore her gaze away from the letter, staring right at him. His brow furrowed, aggravation sweeping through him. What had Yuuki said about him now?

"If you're hungry, I strongly recommend the crackers. They're under the table," she gestured to the same piece of furniture that held her paper.

"Hungry?" he was put out for a moment, and then realization hit him. "Oh. That was only because I was careless last time. I took extra tablets before I came."

"I see," she lapsed into silence for a moment, then, "What do they taste like?"

"The tablets?" he'd never been asked that before. Then again, he didn't regularly speak with humans who knew about vampires at all. "Horrible. The worst." He made a face. "They taste like something between rotting chalk and motor oil, depending on how you take them."

"Nice. So why do you take them at all, then?" she wrinkled her nose.

"How else do you suppose we'd get our daily nutrition? Should we go around preying on innocent humans, then?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, I guess not," she agreed.

She returned to reading the letter, and he stared at his hands, unsure of what to do. Idly, he retrieved the box of crackers, opening a package and hating the amount of crinkling noise the plastic made. He removed a cracker, nibbling it lazily. It was salty and dry, but at least it provided him with a distraction.

"So, do you have any brothers or sisters?" he asked, to fill the empty silence that had settled around them.

She shook her head, "No. I'm an only child."

"What do your parents do?" he set the box down beside him, frowning as he read the words, '_New, Fresh Taste_.' Yeah, right.

"My father is a doctor, and my mother is a lawyer. It's interesting that the book she always read to me is titled _Pride and Prejudice_."

"Fitting," he licked the edge of the cracker, wrinkling his nose. What did humans find appetizing about these things? He replaced the box and cracker under the desk, determined to never get himself into a situation where his sanity would depend upon the repulsive food.

"What about you, Aidou-senpai?" she asked curiously.

"Me?" He hadn't expected that she would ask about his family, though he knew he should have. It was a logical question. "I have three elder sisters. My father is a business man and my mom has stayed at home for as long as I can remember. She runs the house, for the most part."

It was odd to talk about himself. In the vampire world, his family was common knowledge. The Aidous were powerful, respected, and well known. His father, especially. The Aidou's business conquests had made them both wealthy and influential.

"You have exams soon, right?" he inquired, abruptly changing the subject.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Would you...would it be helpful if I brought you some of my notes to study beforehand?" What was he asking now? Idiot. Why was he trying to be nice all of a sudden?

She smiled, and he felt his heart stop for a moment before he mentally shook himself. What the hell was with this behavior, today? Maybe he really was sick...

"Aidou-senpai, I don't think that's quite allowed," she chuckled.

"Why not?" he glared.

"It's rather like cheating, in a way. I wouldn't feel right about accepting the notes. And I'm sure I'll do just fine on my tests," she added with a touch of confidence.

"Suit yourself," he muttered, miffed at the rejection.

"Though, it's very kind of you to offer," she said quietly.

He chose not to answer this, half wondering if she was serious. Was she using the word 'kind' to describe something he'd done? Instead, he frowned bleakly. He wasn't feeling so wet, anymore, but still a bit soggy and uncomfortable. His clothes were sticking to him and he was sure his hair wasn't in the best of shape. In short, he could sum it up like this: he looked and felt like shit. Not that it especially mattered. He had to wait for Yori to finish her response.

Still, this wasn't as bad as he supposed it could be. The constricting pain was gone, and he was feeling rather peaceful. If it hadn't rained, the night could have even gone rather smoothly, he thought. Maybe...

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Yori subtly watched Aidou as she wrote her response to Yuuki. Was this the same person who'd threatened to throw the letter at her feet? It didn't seem possible. Today, he seemed almost lost. As if he didn't quite know where or what he was doing, and was struggling to get his bearings. Furthermore, he was actually speaking to her normally and had even made a kind gesture by offering his notes. That seemed drastically out of character for him.

She was a bit worried about what had happened after his last visit, but this time, at any rate, he seemed perfectly fine. There was no telltale trace of crimson to his eyes. No, now they were blue; a cool, ocean blue like the glittering waves of a summer beach... She jerked her gaze back to the paper, her own eyes widening slightly. What was that, just now? Her lips pressed together, a small frown pulling down their edges.

She focused on the letter. Yuuki was desperate for news on Zero, but Yori had nothing good to tell her. And she would break Yuuki's heart if she told her how he had responded to those letters. No, she would definitely avoid answering the question.

_Zero is his same old cranky self_, she wrote, a pang of guilt stabbing her even as she knew she had to do it. _And, as usual, he fell asleep in class yesterday. Even without being a prefect, he still manages to continue his old habits. He was rewarded with yet another detention._

Her attention wandered back to the damp figure sitting on the bed across from hers. For some reason, it was difficult to concentrate on the letter with him sitting there. Maybe it was the way his eyes had pulled her in unconsciously, or maybe the way his features had arranged themselves into a cute sulking face--

Cute? Where had that come from? But, of course, it couldn't be denied that Hanabusa Aidou had been the class idol, and for good reason. She could admit, sensibly, that he was rather attractive. However, she had never been attracted to him. His playboy attitude had always left her feeling rather disgusted. But, was that the way he truly was, or just the front he put up?

Shaking her head at herself, she forced the pencil back onto the paper and continued. _As to what happened with Aidou, I don't think you should be overly concerned. I think it was just an oversight on his part. He seems fine, now. In fact, he even offered me his notes for studying. Maybe you should check him for a fever, after all?_

"I nearly forgot," Aidou murmured, half to himself. She looked up in surprise. "The Christmas Dance is coming up soon, isn't it?"

"Yes," she nodded, puzzled.

He smirked, and a warning bell went off in her mind. What was he plotting? If she had learned one thing, an expression like that from him was never a good sign.

"And I suppose you'll be wearing that green dress from last year, right?" he asked.

Her eyebrows shot up, "Yes." How was it that he could remember something like that? Especially about someone like herself; someone who, she was positive, had never shown up as even the smallest and most fleeting blip on his radar.

He grinned wolfishly, and her eyes narrowed. But all he said was, "Good."

"Aidou-senpai, what is this about?" she regarded him cautiously.

"Just wondering," he dismissed the question, but her suspicion was only raised.

"I see," she replied, though in fact she did _not_ see. Not at all.

Finishing the letter was, undoubtedly, the most difficult thing that she'd had to do all day. Not only was she preoccupied with trying to decipher what he'd intended by asking those questions, but she was distracted by his presence. And a nagging thought had wiggled into the back of her mind. The longer that she took to write the letter, the longer he would have to stay. She couldn't understand it, but a part of her was reluctant to see him go so soon.

Taking a small breath, she announced, "Finished."

He blinked, then stood slowly, "Alright."

She slipped the letter for Zero into her desk and removed an envelope, sliding her own letter into it. Then she held it out to him. His fingers closed around the paper, but for a moment that seemed to stretch out vastly between them, he didn't take it from her, nor did she release her hold on it. There seemed to be something vital hanging in the balance of that pause.

Her eyes drifted to his, and the room narrowed, present only through the blue of his eyes. She could hear her heart beating, far too loudly in the huge, resounding quiet. She was certain that he could hear it, too, and wished fervently in the back of her mind for it to quiet. But she was incapable of moving, mesmerized by the blue.

And then, suddenly, he broke away from her, the letter gone from her grasp. He seemed a little shaky as he turned to her from the door and said, "Good night."

"Good night," she swallowed, hoping her voice didn't betray the tremor she felt in her hands.

He nodded, and then the door was clicking shut behind him, leaving her alone.

Aidou may have been a vampire with the power to control ice, but she couldn't help but think that the room seemed a bit colder when he wasn't there. Colder, and far more empty. She squeezed her eyes shut, picturing Yuuki's smiling face.

"Yuuki," she whispered, an unbidden tear trailing down her cheek, "I'm lonely."

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: Please review? Pretty please? I almost lost this forever, so a little review would make me feel about 50 zillion times better.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you to everyone who voted on the sister issue. I'll change it soon, but I can't promise that it'll be done anytime soon. This is a fairly short chapter and fairly crappy, so I'm sorry. Uni is keeping me really busy. As I said before, Zeki will slowly be growing throughout these next chapters. And yes, there will be Aidori mixed in, too. Don't panic! Breathe! Lol, anyway so:

**Disclaimer:** I really don't own VK. Trust me, if I did, things would be different.

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

A small rectangle fluttered to the ground from the closet. A pale hand, reaching for a coat from the rack, paused and knelt to pick up this flimsy shape. Zero's fingers closed around it, bringing it towards his face so that he might identify it. His breath came sharply, flying into and out of his chest with a velocity so fast that his lungs were stabbed with sudden pain. His violet eyes widened, expression twisting from calm to enraged within that single breath. His fingers curled violently, trembling as he restrained himself from crushing the object that he held.

Yuuki's innocent, lovely brown eyes stared back at him, smiling blissfully in total joy, and completely oblivious to his emotional turmoil. It was only fitting that it would be like this now. Her, looking at him with absolute trust and faith, and him, looking back at her with barely contained, raw emotion. His fangs slid downwards, lengthening, his teeth barred and dangerous. And yet, he could not bring himself to cast aside the photograph, to crumple or damage it in any way, or even to simply set it back in the closet. He was bound where he stood as if chained. There was no escape from that chocolate gaze.

His fangs sliced into his lower lip, and he jerked away from the picture as if stricken. Blood welled up and trickled down his chin, dripping onto the floor, but he ignored it, finally able to release his delicate grip and watch as the photograph slowly drifted to the floor. He noticed himself in the background now as well, watching from behind Yuuki with solemn eyes. It was always the same... She was always ahead and he was always behind. It was a repeating pattern that he seemed unable to break. Passing a hand before his eyes, he wrenched himself away, taking the coat and leaving the room swiftly. If he were to linger, he might be pulled back again by her magnetic eyes.

Wiping the blood from his face with a harsh gesture, he paused in the doorway, his mind flashing to the small pile of letters in the corner. There were three of them now, a collection of words and thoughts that he yearned for and yet refused. His hand twitched, imagining what it would be like to pick up one of those slightly crinkled envelopes and--

He shut the door decisively. No. He would not read those letters. A spasm of pain flitted through his body, but he brushed it aside callously, exiting the front door and locking it firmly. He couldn't afford to consider the possibility of reading them, not even for a moment, because a moment would be all he needed to lose his resolve.

He started down the street towards the academy.

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"Kaname-sama is coming home?"

Yuuki felt as if the air had been forcibly removed from her lungs. A thrill of heat and fear swirled through her, and she felt her pulse quicken. Kaname inspired a confusion of feelings within her that she didn't understand. Part of her longed for him, for his touch, for his blood, for his love. Another part feared him above all else. She dared not imagine what would happen if he discovered her letters. Yet another part hated him, despised everything he had done by caging her, by keeping her from the world; while at the same time, an equal and opposite part adored him. He had saved her life, done countless things for her. And still, she felt more. Guilt, because she could never give him her heart the way he wanted her to; revulsion, because he was her brother and lover; and even sorrow, because he seemed so lonely and because she could never be with him the way that he deserved. The mix of sensations she felt upon hearing this news was overwhelming.

"Yes, so you'd better keep up with your studies," Aidou admonished. "I've noticed that your daily quiz grades have been dropping."

"It's not like you to be concerned about my grades," she shot him an impudent glare. "I thought you hated being a mailman."

"I do," he answered quickly, defensively, and she narrowed her eyes. He sounded oddly suspicious...

"If there's anything you want to tell me--"

"There's nothing I want to tell you!" he snapped, eyes flaring crimson.

This action was one among many that she'd noticed, increasing in frequency as time passed. Lately, Aidou had been prone to sudden moments of intense hunger, during which not even the tablets had provided satisfactory nourishment. He'd seemed more irritable, and strangely, far quieter than he had ever been before. She'd caught him staring out into space one day, and when she had aked for an explanation, he'd only responded with anger. It was troubling, and Yuuki was concerned for his health. Vampires didn't get sick, apparently, as Aidou had explained to her recently, but she could think of no other reason to justify why he was acting this way.

"It's only because Kaname-sama will be arriving," he continued. "Or did you _want_ him to see your grades slipping? What a wonderful Christmas present."

Christmas. It was impossible to distinguish this usually merry season from any other, here in the mansion. When she'd been at the academy, this time of the year would have been a wondrous one. The snow would have begun to gently layer the ground, the students would be cheerfully singing carols and buying gifts, and the whole school would have been preparing for the annual dance. It would have been a time of candy canes and snowmen, not endless, empty halls and dusty, lonely rooms so long unused that not even the servants could recall them.

"They're not slipping," she protested. "Just...shrinking a little."

"Shrinking? Maybe our next unit should be on vocabulary and when to use it," he muttered. "Just try to boost your grades a little for this test, okay? All you have to do is get an eighty. It's not like I'm asking you to move a mountain."

"Actually-" she nibbled on her lip, debating her word choice.

"It's literature. I thought you were decent at that. Just because you think you're better at a subject doesn't mean you don't need to study." He shoved a finger at her open textbook, "So get back to work."

"Fine," she grumbled sourly, turning deflated eyes back to the page, where the words jumbled together in an incoherent heap.

"If it helps your motivation any, I'll even carry a freaking _gift_ this time around, since it's Christmas. I'm the god of charity. Be grateful."

Her eyes lit up, "Really? You'd take her a gift from me, too? Thank you!"

"Don't thank me until you get an eighty. And don't think this full postal service is a continuing thing. This is a one time offer only," he glowered, to which she beamed and nodded.

"I'll definitely do my best!" she turned the page with sudden conviction, and Aidou rolled his eyes.

"Okay, whatever. Knock yourself out. I'll be back later with a quiz," he stood, yawning, and moved towards the door.

"Um...Aidou-senpai?" she asked, turning to face him, brow furrowed.

"What?" he sighed.

"Are you _sure_ that everything is alright?"

"Yes, I'm freaking positive!" he threw up his hands in exasperation. "I'm just _peachy_, okay?! Stop asking me that!"

The door slammed shut behind him, and she regarded it worriedly for a moment before returning to her book. Her eyes fell on the already opened envelope sitting on the desk and her shoulders slumped a little. Yori had deftly avoided responding to the questions that Yuuki had needed answered so badly.

Why...? What could have happened that Yori would not share with her?

But Yuuki didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about the possibility that Zero hadn't recieved her letters well.

She needed him to accept them. Because if he hadn't, everything she had built her fragile hopes on was shattered...

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A shadow fell over her, darkening the text in the novel that she was reading. Yori glanced up, surprised, and felt that surprise double when she realized who was standing before her. Her eyebrows lifted visibly, climbing up her forehead as her hands clasped over the top of her book.

Zero shifted, alternately frowning and attempting to smooth his angry expression. He seemed to be internally debating something, and after a long moment, he met her eyes and spoke, the words coming individually and hard, yet betraying something uncertain and vulnerable within.

"Wakaba-san. I need to talk to you. Behind the school tomorrow evening. It's...," the silence stretched out, and then he pressed on, completed the sentence.

"It's about Yuuki."

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: As usual, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Gomen for not replying to all of your lovely reviews! Uni has kept me so busy lately! With this chapter, I'll try to remember to reply to every one of you. It made me especially happy that you guys took the time to send me a review in a message since FF was being a butt and wouldn't let any formal ones be made. Have I mentioned how much I love you guys?

Zero: YES MULTIPLE TIMES.

Sorry. xDD And something to brighten your day: I fixed both chapter 6 and 7. Now Yori is officially "Wakaba-san." Thank you for pointing that out, because you're right, Zero wouldn't address her so informally! I always feel like an idiot when you guys point out something I did wrong but I'm really, really glad that you do! DON'T STOP! Imagine my humiliation if dozens of future FF readers saw my stupidity? Of course, they're also reading this AN right now… LOL.

Some of you have amazing foresight on these chapters. How do you know??? But I won't say who's right! =PPP Anyway, I digress...ahem!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own VK. In the event that Hino leaves it to me to finish…ZERO WILL BE KIDNAPPED BY MOI!!!! Mwahahahaha! Okay, maybe not, but a girl can dream, right?

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

Yori smoothed her skirt down before clasping her hands in front of her patiently. While her mind was in a jumble, attempting to figure out the purpose for this impromptu meeting, her body was very still. She watched a few stray birds take flight from the edge of the school property, eyes following them as their small forms left black trails of memory behind, like Yuuki had done almost an entire year before.

She continued to stare after the birds, long after they had faded from sight, feeling rather forlorn. She was the only one she knew who was rooted to the school, incapable of flying somewhere else. Anywhere else. Even Zero was allowed his freedom, being a part of the hunter's council and allowed to live off campus. She pursed her lips. It wasn't like her to sulk. Perhaps Aidou's behavior was rubbing off on her.

Once again, that name sent a shiver through her, though this time it wasn't from fear. No, this time, it was something stranger, something intangible, something…warm…? She shook her head, dismissing the notion. It was impossible to feel warmth for ice. Logic defied it, and her world was built on carefully structured logic.

"Wakaba-san," the greeting was brusque, but she turned her head and gave him a polite nod, grateful for the distraction.

"Hello, Zero-kun," she replied in her calm, even toned voice. "What did you want to see me about?"

"That…," his brow furrowed, darkening with emotions that she couldn't begin to describe. His eyes were barriers, impenetrable to her, but she could sense that there was some internal struggle occurring. Then he spoke through clenched teeth, "I want to know about Yuuki."

"You…," she paused, surprised by the request.

And then despair overflowed her veins. Zero had not read the letters. All the time that she had spent hoping, praying that he would have done so, had been wasted. All of Yuuki's glass dreams were about to be shattered. He hadn't read them.

But yet he was still asking.

"Maybe," she phrased the sentence carefully, "you should read what Yuuki has to say."

His eyes smoldered with anger, "I refuse to read the words of a demon."

"Yuuki's not a demon!" she protested softly, despite herself. In a more subdued tone, she continued, "If Yuuki's a demon, than every vampire must be. Including yourself. And if vampires are demons, then those who associate with them are no better. Therefore, I must be a demon, too. Is that really what you believe, Zero-kun? How can you remember Yuuki and think of her like that?"

He seemed slightly disoriented by her sudden reprisal, but quickly gathered himself, speaking sharply, "You are human. You are not a demon."

"Zero-kun, please. Read what Yuuki has to say. At least read the first letter before you ask me such a thing."

"I just," his fist clenched, unclenched, "want to know if she's okay." It seemed as though he had to force the words out, his mouth refusing to form them, though his mind was determined to fashion them.

Yori sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before saying, gently, "I would rather that you hear it from her, but I'll tell you this. Yuuki…she's doing alright. As alright as she can be."

A cloud seemed to flit behind his eyes, and he nodded once, taking in her words. Then, "Thanks."

She blinked. When did Zero ever say 'thanks?' But she answered simply, "I still think you should read the letters."

He said nothing to this, though the maelstrom of his eyes and posture told her all that she needed to know. A sense of defeat made her shoulders slump a little, and her gaze averted back to the sky, where the birds had disappeared only moments before.

He turned briskly, beginning to head back towards the more populated regions of the grounds, when Yori spoke suddenly, "Wait. I want to ask you something, too."

Zero glanced back at her, body tense with violence, though he had stopped, which was as open an invitation as she was likely to get. She took a breath, unsure. The question had suddenly popped into her head, unbidden, reminding her of how little she actually knew.

"How effective is normal food for a vampire?"

Zero's expression flickered, so rapid a change that she missed the emotion that it had revealed for that tiny interval, and then he responded harshly, "Not very." And with that, he strode away.

Yori bit her lip, picturing the familiar box of crackers sitting under her desk. An image of Yuuki, neck sporting a large and hastily adorned Band-Aid, flashed through her mind as she watched Zero's form recede and blend in with the jumbled crowd.

How much did she know about that other side of the world? That world that Yuuki was a part of, and had been, even as a human, for so long?

She hugged her arms around herself, noting, not for the first time, that she was standing alone. Solitude didn't bother her, but the loneliness that crept over her now was something that she couldn't shake. She found herself wishing, desperately, for the days to pass at a faster pace, until the time that she would receive the next letter.

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"No, that's wrong!" Aidou exclaimed petulantly, running hands through his hair in frustration. "How can she feel comfortable? Her father is about to lose his job and…do I really have to explain this all over again?!"

"I'm sorry!" Yuuki returned, nerves fraying. She felt close to tears. They had been working for hours, attempting to salvage some scrap of knowledge from her exhausted brain, as the test that was fast approaching.

"You-no," he inhaled sharply. "Take a break. Get some rest. This is getting us nowhere."

"A break?" the word seemed foreign to her, especially coming from him.

"Yes, a break, a rest, a respite. I swear the next thing we're working on is your vocabulary," he muttered.

"Aidou-senpai, does it really matter if I do well on this test? Kaname-sama knows that I've been getting good marks," she pleaded.

"Oh? So you don't want me to take another letter to Yori-chan? Or to deliver your Christmas present? And you want Kaname-sama to be disappointed during such an important holiday?" there was a desperate edge to his voice, and the way his lips moved over the name, 'Yori-chan,' alerted Yuuki to something strange, but she had couldn't place the feeling.

"Of course I do," she folded her arms. "It's just too much work."

"I thought you'd say something like that. You'll never get anywhere in life if you don't work or think. Just _try_ a little, okay?" he sighed.

"I _am_ trying," she whined, then rolled her eyes at his expression. "Really!"

"Sure you are," he grumbled, but let the subject drop.

Though it grated on her nerves to do so, she offered him a glass of water from the tray someone had brought in earlier. He accepted it with a mumbled, 'thank you,' taking a sip. She glanced at him, noting the dusty red that tinged the edges of his irises, and offered him a tablet, as well.

Aidou stared at her outstretched hand, his own wrapping into a fist abruptly, before he took it and swallowed it with clear fury. It was easier, that way, to take the tablet as a pill rather than drink it, though the effect didn't last nearly as long. And since he had been taking so many of them lately…

Some intuition tickled at the corners of her mind, but being so tired and with her head pounding so insistently, she was unable to fit the pieces together. Instead, she fell back into the chair, drinking her own water delicately.

The arrival of Kaname-sama loomed on the horizon, menacing and anticipated all at once. As usual, her thoughts spun out of control when she let her mind drift to his impending return. She was sure that he would praise her for her school work so far, despite Aidou's assurances that he would be upset at a slipping grade. He had seemed so pleased when he'd last heard of her progress.

"Yuuki-sama."

The respectful use of her name caused her head to jerk up. Aidou usually avoided saying her name aloud when he could help it, so his sudden use of it surprised her.

"Go to bed," the command was gentle, kind even, which further shocked her. She looked at him blankly, uncomprehending. He smirked, then repeated, "Go to bed. You're tired, I'm tired. You won't learn anything like this. Get some rest."

He stood, downing the rest of the glass and setting it on the desk with the soft click of glass against polished wood. She continued to regard him without understanding, but when the door had shut behind him, she realized that he had actually spoken compassionately to her. And more than that, he'd used her name and title.

She rubbed her temple. She really didn't know what was going on anymore. But, at least, she was able to talk to Yori. Even if the other girl's replies purposely avoided the subject she most wanted to hear.

Even if she was still left shrouded in darkness.

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The streets were thickly shadowed, not even the luminescence of the moon able to penetrate their obscurity. Footsteps echoed hollowly down the deserted road, disturbing only the dark silhouettes of houses and street lamps, whose lights had long since dimmed to a thin orange glow that barely illuminated even a faint circle around their bases.

Zero climbed the stairs to his small house, removing the key from his pocket and unlocking the door; the clinking of the metal was the only sound that could be heard. It reverberated loudly down the street, like ripples in a pond, meeting only silence.

The door swung open, and he crossed the threshold, moving from darkness to darkness as silently as the blackness itself. His hand brushed along the wall, finding the light switch and flicking it upwards, though his vampire eyes had no need of it.

Pale hands tugged at his tie, his jacket, his shoes, strewing them haplessly throughout the hall as he moved to his bedroom, where he was once again confronted with the sight of those faded envelopes, gathering dust in the disused corner. He pressed a hand to his forehead, fighting against the war that was continuously waged within his mind.

His feet took an involuntary step forward, towards the pile, and then he moved to take one, fingers sliding against the dry paper. He simply held it, gaze recording the neatly printed date on the upper right hand corner. The handwriting wasn't Yuuki's. He let the envelope fall back, landing with a muted thud on the others, and felt his resolve loosen a little more.

Wasn't he a monster, too? Why should it matter if he read the words of another monster, even if that monster was what he was sworn to kill? He was the same.

The same.

He wrenched himself away, enraged. But, in the back of his mind, he knew it was an inevitable truth. He could not resist the call of the letters for much longer. At some point, he would break. And that time, he knew, was much sooner than later. Already he could feel their strong pull with distinct clarity.

He was going to read the letters.

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--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: This is really the most random thing but my new favorite band (for the moment) is Kudai. 333 I just keep listening to their songs over and over. Am I lame or what? I'm making an amv with one of their songs too. 8D And for another random note, if you're looking for a good Zeki song, One Day by Trading Yesterday is perfect. It made me cry. Yes, I'm pathetic. =D But don't try to make an amv with it, because an mmv has already been made. Oh, and if you steal my amv idea, I'll come after you. xD Have a nice day!

Zero: O____o You can't just say that. The police are coming after you. And your author's notes are too long. Do you actually think someone is reading this?

Me: Yes. I am, right now!

Zero: =.="

Me: REVIEW!!!!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry that these two chapters are so late and so crappy!

Disclaimer: VK? Yep…I don't own it.

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

Aidou rapped his hand against the door, careful to keep the volume at a low level so that the rest of the dorm would remain unaware of his presence. He brushed a few stray flakes of snow away from where they clung to the edges of his jacket, watching them flutter to the ground and begin to melt against the thinly carpeted floor.

The door opened quickly, and Yori appeared in the frame, offering him a smile that made her eyes glow with soft warmth. He felt his own lips tugging up against his will, and allowed himself to be ushered inside without complaint.

"I was beginning to think that Yuuki had failed her test," Yori said as she shut the door.

Aidou scowled, "She nearly did. Isn't she supposed to be decent at literature?"

Yori chuckled, shrugging lightly, "If it peaks her interest."

"Well, her interest had better be peaked about keeping up her grades. I've never heard so much whining in my life," he muttered.

"Poor Yuuki," she shook her head. "She's trying so hard."

"I think she's been a bit distracted…" his mouth slashed down into a frown.

"With..?" her head tilted slightly to one side, curiously.

"I really shouldn't say anything," his eyes cut across the room, then back as he took a breath, "but since Yuuki no doubt told you in the letter, I guess it's safe. Kaname-sama has returned from his trip."

Yori's mouth formed a surprised 'oh.' Then, "She didn't mention it to me."

"She didn't know about it until after I delivered the last letter. I'm sure she said something in this one," he handed her the envelope. "She also wanted me to give you this," and he passed over a long, slim rectangle wrapped in colorful Christmas paper.

Yori smiled again, her happiness apparent. She crossed over to her bed, setting down the package, and took out one of her own from under the desk.

"For Yuuki," she explained.

He nodded, placing it on the other bed, "She'll be really excited."

"I know. Yuuki has always loved Christmas," her expression altered, reflecting a sad nostalgia, before flickering back. She reached for the present and began to carefully remove the bright tissue paper.

Aidou watched as her fingers nimbly moved, precise and exact in their motions. Within seconds, she had removed the paper, whole and intact, and set it aside, staring at the object now laid bare in her hands. From what he could see, it was a wooden picture frame, though the contents were invisible to him at this angle.

After a moment, Yori stood, placing the picture on her desk, lips curved upwards. He could see now that the picture within the frame was something that Yuuki had drawn and colored herself. It depicted Cross Academy in the spring, with the flowers in full bloom and the sky a clear, vivid blue. Before the academy, hands clasped, were two figures recognizable as Yuuki and Yori. Looking at it, he wondered if perhaps he should have given her a test on art, instead. There was no doubt that she would have passed with ease.

As usual, he sat on the edge of the opposing bed as Yori opened the letter. Somehow, it felt as if they had been following this ritual forever. There was a feeling of _rightness_, an ingrained truth that he couldn't deny.

And as he'd expected, her presence calmed him, sorted his emotions and removed the negative ones that he had been feeling until he'd stepped into her room. He didn't understand it, but the way her scent both repressed and stimulated his thirst left him breathless. He was content to simply watch her.

"Aren't you bored?" Yori asked wryly after a few moments, and he almost laughed. Bored? There was no way that he could be bored, now.

"A genius is never bored. He has his thoughts to occupy him," he smirked, grateful that his wits hadn't deserted him this time.

She rolled her eyes, "Modest as always, I see."

He grinned, "I only state the facts. Isn't that something you support?"

"When they're correct," she replied smoothly.

"I'm hurt," he made a pained face, and she laughed softly, much to his delight. He felt a little dazed, upon hearing that sound. It was subtle, melodic, beautiful. A sound that, upon hearing, he longed to hear again.

"Aidou-senpai, I don't think you need me to reinforce your ego," she commented.

"Don't call me that," he glared at her, abruptly furious. His eyebrows cut down, stark lines of anger, narrowing his eyes so that the blue there was sharp and intense.

Yori blinked, clearly surprised by his reaction, and asked carefully, "Call you what?"

"Aidou-senpai," his lip curled in distaste. "It feels so…" He trailed off, throat suddenly closed against saying the word. _Distant_. That title made it seem that, even though they were so close in proximity, the distance between them was vast and empty.

"Well then, what _should_ I call you?" she asked, laying the letter down in her lap.

He brightened, "Hanabusa?"

She shot him a look, "Highly inappropriate."

"Oh, fine," he muttered. "Hanabusa-_kun_?"

Her lips pressed together as she considered this, and then shook her head, "Nope. That won't do, either. How about…Aidou-_sensei_?" She failed to repress her grin.

He blanched, "Don't say that. It makes me feel old."

"Alright then, I suppose I could tolerate Aidou-kun," she struggled to speak the title. Her fingers trembled slightly, and she twisted her hands together to hide it.

"Better," he allowed.

Her eyes fell back to the letter. She couldn't explain the strange feeling that resided in the pit of her stomach. It was something that made her heart flutter irregularly, something that made her nerves shiver with sudden sensation. The words remained blurry before her sight, and she had to concentrate to pick them out. When she did, they seemed to leap off the page.

_I don't know what to do. I'm scared that he'll be able to see through me and know exactly what I've been doing. I've been betraying him, Yori-chan, by sending these letters. I wonder if I can keep it from him…or if I even want to. He deserves to know the truth. _

_I wish you were here with me. The days are so long and boring. The only things to distract me are my lessons. Ew. Maybe this was the study method we should have discovered long ago? _

Yori's mouth pulled down, heart aching for her friend. If only she was there with Yuuki, everything would be better. They would be there to support one another. Yori was sure that Kaname's presence wouldn't have been so terrifying a notion if she were there.

She took a deep breath, reading on. Yuuki went on to describe her frustration with the lesson, as well as her continuing concerns about Aidou. Yori glanced over at him, subtly, or so she thought, but he noticed, eyes meeting hers with a faint question. She could feel herself starting to drown again, and dragged her gaze back to the paper, heart quickening its rhythm.

_Don't notice,_ she thought desperately. _Don't say anything. _

But he did.

"I'm going to go ahead and assume that Yuuki still won't let this whole thing go," he commented dryly.

"She has solid reasons to be concerned," Yori returned calmly.

"I'm _fine_," he said with emphasis. "Tell her to stop worrying."

"I have, actually. She still won't drop it," she looked at him, contemplating. There didn't seem to be anything wrong on the surface, here in her room…

"If you're frightened that I might do something…," he scowled, "I can wait outside…"

"What?" she didn't try to hide her confusion.

"You're not scared that I'll attack you?" he questioned quietly.

"I'm not frightened," she replied firmly. "It was only something Yuuki said."

"If you say so," he didn't look completely convinced, but she decided it was best to leave things explained like this.

"I do," she felt her heart twist at his slightly hurt expression.

He said nothing to this, and she finished reading over the letter. Then she began to construct one of her own. She could finally offer Yuuki some piece of good news; however she might be misleading her friend by sharing it.

_Zero asked about you the other day. We actually had a conversation that lasted more than a few seconds. Amazing, right?_

Guilt swept over her. Yuuki would undoubtedly assume that Zero had read the letters. She supposed that it was a necessary lie, but all the same, she couldn't help but feel as if she were doing something very wrong. It was amazing what two sentences could do.

Plunging on, she forced her hand to write the rest of the words and end the letter. She could imagine Yuuki's face as she read the words, shining as she received that single shard of news. Was it a cruelty to do this, or a kindness? Yori couldn't be sure.

Sealing the envelope, her eyes flicked to Aidou, who was watching her with a strange expression. When he noticed that she was looking, it straightened immediately, and he stood, extending a hand for the envelope. Biting her lip, she handed it to him quickly, ensuring that nothing happened this time.

"I'll make sure Kaname-sama doesn't see the letter or the present," he assured her.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Of course," there was a slightly heavy pause, where each avoided the other's gaze steadfastly, and then Aidou turned to pick up the present for Yuuki.

"Wait," Yori said, the tremor returning to her limbs.

He turned, the surprise plain on his face.

"I…have something for you, too," she whispered, taking a gift from where it had lay hidden beneath her bed. She offered it to him, apprehension clawing at her from within, though she strove not to show it.

His hands seemed to move automatically, taking it from her. Then slowly a sincere, delighted smile spread across his face, his eyes sparkling in the lamplight like the star-strewn surface of the ocean at night. With a start, she realized that she had been holding her breath, and let it out gradually, trying to grasp at her thoughts again. Somehow, they had slipped from her mind like sand, leaving her feeling lost.

"Actually, I have one for you, too, believe it or not," his smile altered to a grin, and he reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a long, thin box wrapped in delicate tissue paper. "Just don't open it until I leave. I don't like to deal with thanks."

She stared, accepting it with unsteady hands. Still, her voice was even and dry as she said, "Is that why you didn't thank me?"

"You didn't thank me, either," he pointed out, approaching the door, the gifts balanced under his arm.

"Thank you, Aidou-kun," she murmured, following him and opening the door.

When he turned to look at her, his eyes held a light that made her breath catch and her heart speed. She noticed, with sudden vivid clarity, how the gold in his hair contrasted with the blue in his eyes. How, if she kept looking into that blue, she might eventually be able to catch a fleeting glimpse of his soul. How, somewhere hidden in the depths of those eyes, there was a place that the light couldn't reach, seeming instead to be lit by some flame within him.

And then, abruptly, the blue was gone. He had disappeared out the door like some phantom hallucination, vanished before she had a chance to react. Her mind reeled in sudden confusion, Looking around the room dazedly, she was only struck by how empty it seemed now. Yuuki's empty, perfectly made bed gaped at her like an open wound.

She was alone, once again; her whole world held in suspension between letters. She wasn't sure that she could take another two weeks. She was frozen in place, part of her demanding that she run after him, call him back for just another second, another minute. But of course, he was already gone.

Her eyes fastened on the package in her hand. She hadn't remembered it until that moment. Regaining self control, she locked the door and sat on the edge of her bed, the gift balanced on her knees.

With effort, she removed the paper without causing too much damage to it. Her fingers were too shaky now to do it properly. Once the paper was gone, she held a simple black box, devoid of anything to identify its contents with. Removing the lid, she almost laughed when she saw that there was another box inside. This one, however, was soft to the touch, and her heart began to fly again as she recognized the manner of the object it held. After the second box was open, it took an exertion of willpower not to drop the precious gift it held.

Lying against the velvet was a gold filigreed necklace ending in a single, teardrop shaped emerald. It was tasteful; elegant without being ostentatious. She knew without having to look that it would coordinate flawlessly with her Christmas gown. And she also knew, as if someone had knocked the breath from her lungs, that the gold and gem were assuredly real.

Now she understood why he'd insisted on leaving before she opened it. It was to prevent her from giving it back.

At the same time, she felt oddly grateful for his departure. After all, how could she even begin to thank him?

And how could she even begin to forget the way she'd felt when she looked into his eyes?

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Zero closed his eyes, defeated. It was pointless to resist, after all. He craved her like nothing else.

The first envelope fell away to the floor, lifeless.

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

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A/N: Awwie, poor Zerorin. T^T I'm so sure he'd feel better if you reviewed. So sure…xD


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I feel so happy despite the poor quality of these chapters! The reviews you guys left were so amazing! 3333333 *beaming with joy*

Disclaimer: I do not own VK…I mean really…if I did, why would I be writing FF about it? I'd just make it HAPPEN! :P

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

"Merry Christmas!" the cheer rose up with exuberance, reverberating throughout the festively decorated room.

Yuuki lifted the glass to her lips, fixed in a permanent smile, and took a small sip from the sparkling cider it held. The others had tried to persuade her to drink the wine instead, but she had declined as gracefully as possible. Her large brown eyes, reflecting the sparkling lights and warm fire, traversed the room in a silent path, subtly observing the scene before her.

There were few people present: Akatsuki and Luca, Aidou's father, Seiren, as expected, and two or three other loyal noble men. Despite the small company, the foyer had been grandly adorned with all assortment of holiday décor. There was a towering tree, decked with charming and symmetrical ornaments, a modest pile of presents, and a long buffet table laden with a wide array of food and beverages. Yet, something was missing.

Underneath the general pleasantry of the event, Yuuki sensed a layer of tension. At any moment, she half expected someone to suddenly lose their outward smiling mask. That, however, did not occur, and the act, as she saw it, continued smoothly.

It was at least interesting to watch the guests interact. The noble men all vied for Kaname's attention, sharing with him tidbits of what they deemed to be especially potent information. Luca sent continuous, furtive glances towards Kaname while Akatsuki desperately attempted to keep her attention. And Seiren stood off to the side, as impassive and stolid as always, giving not even the slightest smile.

Yuuki found herself missing Cross Academy more and more as the night passed. She could hear her adoptive father's cries of glee, see Yori's subdued but luminous smiles, smell the scent of the familiar apple crumb cake they'd eaten each year. Most of all, with a sharp pain, she could recall Zero, always placing himself just beyond the circle of attention, his serious violet eyes always watching, always hiding the ghost of a smile within their depths. She swallowed, fingers tightening around her goblet of cider, and forced another smile at some trivial thing one of the nobles had said.

Even casting aside those childhood memories, it felt out of place that the rest of the night class crowd was not present. Where were Takuma Ichijou's infectious smile, or Rima Tooya and Shiki Senri's constant quiet presence? Had they been so casually forgotten? Not that she missed them for themselves, as she had never known them well, but there was definitely an essential element lacking without them.

A soft touch on her arm interrupted her train of thought, and she glanced up into Kaname's troubled eyes. She gave a reassuring smile, taking another sip of her cider to placate him, and he turned back to his conversations after giving her a mysterious smile.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Yuuki-sama?" Aidou's father asked respectfully.

"Yes, thank you," she replied automatically.

"It's a pity my son didn't stick around. He's been working so hard teaching you lately, after all."

"Yes, he has," she agreed genially, though an annoyed thought swept through her mind, thinking of his antics.

"Akatsuki, you didn't!"

The loud exclamation cut through the rest of the conversation, and all eyes turned to the pair. Luca was holding something small and sparkly in her hand, and Akatsuki was looking properly pleased. Her eyes were lit with delight as she slid the glittering object over her wrist, admiring it as the lights picked out and threw rainbows across the room.

"I _told_ you it was far too expensive!" she reproved him, though her glowing expression contradicted the tone of her words.

He shrugged modestly, "Expense has no meaning to me, Luca."

The elegant girl stared at the bracelet for a moment, then smiled radiantly, "Thank you so much!" And with that said, she rushed up to him and kissed his cheek, shocking the entire room. She stepped away quickly, eyes fixed to the jewelry, and completely oblivious to the effect her action had on the room, especially to Akatsuki, who was generally flustered and happy all at once.

One of the nobles turned back to Kaname with a chuckle, "Maybe we should call their families later to advise them to arrange an engagement."

Kaname gave him a thin, tolerant smile, "Perhaps." Then he turned to Yuuki, "On that note, I'd like to excuse myself and Yuuki. Feel free to continue enjoying the party. You all are welcome to stay as long as you'd like."

There was a murmuring of thank you's and goodbyes, and then Kaname took her by the arm and led her out gracefully. He said little as he walked her through the endless passages, but she sensed there was something he was anticipating. She tried to still the nervousness that had crept up, and failed.

In too short a time, he had taken her to her room and shut the door softly behind him. She stood in the middle of the floor, arms around herself, suddenly chilled to the bone. She shut her eyes briefly before turning back to face him.

He crossed the space between them easily, taking her hands in his, and spoke in his low, velvet voice, "I'm so glad I was finally able to see you."

"Me too, Kaname-sama," she replied quietly, though a twinge penetrated her heart.

"I'm glad," there was a pause before he continued, "I brought you here tonight for a particular reason." A brief breath, then, "Yuuki, we've been here together for almost an entire year. You know that you've had my heart for much longer than that. I regret every day that we must spend apart, but it is a necessity so that we can soon be together for eternity."

His words sent frost rippling through her. Silver outlined the edges of her vision, but she shook it away forcefully.

"Yuuki. I know that it's always been assumed, but I feel that I need to do this formally. So, Yuuki Kuran," as he spoke, he knelt before her, removing one hand from hers to take a miniature box from his jacket. She started to shake, knowing exactly what was coming and thinking of no way to avoid it. "Will you be my wife?"

With the question, he took his other hand from hers and opened the box, revealing a small golden ring, holding a single ruby shaped like a rose. Like the rose he had given her not long ago. Like their eternal promise. It was so fitting, and yet, so terrible that she could feel the horror clawing its way up her throat.

Her hand rose to her mouth, her throat silently scrabbling to grasp some fragment of speech. There was no way out, no escape. Just everlasting crimson and soundlessly closing doors.

But then, what did she have to gain with her freedom? A certain death? And Yori had told her, without words, of the hopelessness of it all. Her futile attempts to contact Zero had proven just that: futile. What did she have to lose by accepting Kaname? What did she stand to gain by it? His protection, his love, the bars of a prison without door or key…

With a deep breath, she fell to her knees, clasping his hands in hers, and spoke the damning word that would forever haunt her, "Yes."

Kaname expression lifted, and slowly, deliberately, he removed the ring from its velvet cradle and placed it on her finger. A binding circle. He stood, pulling her up with him and placing the box aside onto a small table all in one fluid motion.

"Thank you," he said simply, his eyes smoldering and intense on hers.

A large part of her wanted to cringe away from his gaze, to flee to some secret refuge, but it was impossible. He kept her fixed in place as effectively as if he had nailed her to the floor. She was living a lie. Couldn't he see that? But no, his touch was like poison as he came closer, drawing her body to his and pressing his lips demandingly against hers.

A sense of wrongness flooded through her, but that smaller part of her, the part that had always loved and idolized him, would not allow her to break away. His embrace was possessive, claiming her entirely. He gave her no space to refuse him, and she felt her arms moving around him almost against her will.

_Forgive me_, she thought hopelessly to the screaming part of herself.

Forgive me…

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_Dear Zero_

They were just words. Only words. Yet they seemed to burn into his heart, etch through it and claim all of his being.

_Dear Zero_

_Dear Zero_

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The door shut with a click that seemed to reverberate through her soul. The room was suddenly devoid of any warmth. Frost crept over her skin, invaded her senses. Shaking, she fell to her knees in the middle of the floor, hands white against her face, eyes wide.

It felt as if her soul were being torn in two.

A silver phantom flashed out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look, it dissolved in the air, a memory, an unobtainable dream. Something scarlet glinted in the light. Removing her left hand from her face, she stared in unrestrained horror at the ring.

But it was too late to go back, too late for regrets. She had chosen, and this time, there were no take-backs.

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

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A/N:

Me: Ahh..wait, wait!!! *glancing nervously at the weapons everyone is holding* Don't kill meeeee!!!!

Everyone of my awesome readers: WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOUR PLEAS FOR MERCY???

Me: B-Because! If you kill me, I can't end the story with Zeki!!!!! It'll NEVER HAPPEN!!!

Everyone: Hmm…good point...

Me: So…if you want Zeki…REVIEWWWWWWWWW *flees while everyone is distracted*


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: SQUEEEEE!!!! *dancing around!!!!* Over a hundred reviews! How did this happen?!?!?! Did I mention how much I love you all?! *huggles everyone*

Ahem, anyway, so just to clear this up, Luca's name is Luca. Lol. At first it was written as Ruka, but then Hino said that it was actually pronounced Luca. O_O Whut? Yep, it's true!

Fufu, aren't I so good? Three chapters in a few days! 8D

Disclaimer: *glances at the VK copyright* Nope, still don't own it.

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

_Zero, how are you feeling today?_

_Zero, have you been eating well lately?_

_Zero, today Aidou-senpai made me do even more practice drills! I thought my head would combust!_

_Zero, it's lonely here without you or Yori._

_Zero, today it did nothing but snow. I watched it all day. It's so pretty. Is it snowing there, too?_

_Zero, I got an 88 on my test! It's my best score yet! _

_Zero, Aidou-senpai is still being especially grouchy. What did I do to deserve this?!_

_Zero, what did you do today?_

_Zero, how is school going?_

_Zero, I miss you._

_Zero…_

_Zero…_

_Zero…_

His fist clenched, sudden agony bursting through his chest. Imagining the expressions she would have shown with each sentence only made the pain worse, yet he couldn't drive the images out of his head. He didn't want to. Deprived of her for so long, it brought a strange, aching relief to be able to envision her, to hear her voice through the words.

Sitting among discarded letters and envelopes, he could very faintly detect her scent. It was nearly imperceptible, but all the same, it was there. Beside him lay a pile of blood tablet packages, and more were scattered across the floor, but for the first time in months the thirst was almost manageable. Almost.

_Zero, Christmas will be here soon! Eat an extra slice of Daddy's cake for me, okay? And don't tell him I called him that!_

"Yuuki…you idiot…," he choked, his heart constricted, somewhere between laughing and crying.

He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. Why had he denied himself this sinful pleasure for so long? Closing his eyes, he allowed a constrained smile to stain his lips. Yuuki was alright... But more than that, most of all…Yuuki was still Yuuki. There was still something left of her within the monster. Incredible sadness flooded his veins, and at the same time, a sense of peace and relief. She might be lost to him, but her soul wasn't completely lost. And that was all that mattered. That was everything.

Abruptly, his eyes jerked open. He glanced down at his watch and cursed out loud, standing up so quickly that tablet boxes and paper were strewn every which way. Quickly, he snatched up a torn off edge of paper and a pen and scribbled three words. Then he turned to his closet hurriedly. It would be a nuisance to be late.

* * *

"Wahh, Wakaba-chan, you look so beautiful!" one of the girls from her class breathed. "That shade of green really suits you!"

"Thank you," she replied with a small smile.

"No way!" Ami, the girl's dorm president, exclaimed.

"What is it?" she asked politely.

"Don't tell me that's designer!" she stabbed an accusatory finger at the necklace, which Yori hastily covered with one hand.

Glancing away, she murmured, "I really wouldn't know."

"Wakaba-chan has a secret," the first girl giggled.

"You're dating Kiryuu, aren't you?!" Ami gasped.

Yori blinked in shock. Where had that idea come from? She stared at the president in complete disbelief, and after a moment, amusement, "Please don't misunderstand anything, Ami-san. We only know each other through Yuuki."

"Oh, is that all?" she seemed suspicious, but quickly brightened, "Well, then who _are_ you dating, Wakaba-chan?"

"I'm not dating anyone," she replied firmly, purposely moving her attention to the dance floor to show that the conversation was over.

"She's avoiding the question," Ami whispered loudly to the other girl.

"Then she _is_ dating someone," the other nodded sagely.

Yori held back a sigh. Really, why _had _she worn the incriminating piece of jewelry? But it would have been a waste not to wear it. After all, Aidou wouldn't be back for another two weeks, so there was no way to give it back any sooner.

_You're in denial,_ she chided herself, and bit her lip at the thought.

So maybe she was in denial. Maybe she would have worn it anyway. But why not wear such a nice present to the occasion it was made for? It would be rude not to wear it. And also… Her fingers gently touched the small green gem, the image of Aidou's delighted, warm smile and unfathomable eyes flashing through her mind.

A giggle snapped her out of her reverie, and she noticed that the first girl was only inches in front of her, grinning ridiculously. Misaki, if she recalled the name correctly, was giving her a pointed stare.

"What is it?" she asked coolly, dropping her hand now as if it had been burned.

"What was that tender look on your face just now? You were remembering something, right?" Misaki folded her arms.

_I don't like him, _her mind protested obstinately.

"I was only remembering something my mother told me about Christmas. Now, if you'll excuse me…," that stated, she briskly made her way to the refreshment table.

_He's annoying. And arrogant. And childish. I definitely don't like him, _her hand tightened around the glass, and she brushed away the feeling that threatened to creep into her mind. _Definitely not._

"Wakaba-san," a gruff voice acknowledged, and she turned in surprise to see Zero, formally dressed in his black suit and tie.

"Good evening, Zero-kun," she returned pleasantly, relaxing a little. "Enjoying yourself tonight?"

A scowl momentarily transfigured his face, but he quickly removed it and muttered, "I don't like dances."

Yori nodded. Without Yuuki, there was little point to the whole event. If the night class had been there, some entertainment value might have been taken from it, but as it was, the party was rather lackluster. Not to mention, all of the night class had been astonishingly good dancers. The same could not be said for the majority of her classmates.

"Oh, here," Yori murmured, pulling an envelope from her handbag. It had been a tight fit, but she'd managed to get the paper safely within the bag's confines.

He took it wordlessly, slipping it into his inner jacket pocket, and then removed something, handing it to her. Glancing down at her palm, she saw that it was a simple, folded piece of paper. She blinked in surprise, hope suddenly flaring within her as she placed it into her handbag.

"This-" she began, only to see his retreating figure.

"Have a good evening," he returned brusquely over his shoulder, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Yori shook her head, and then smiled, her heart feeling absurdly light. Zero was sending a note to Yuuki! She could picture Yuuki's face lighting up, finally receiving something to show that all of her efforts hadn't been in vain. Yuuki needed this so badly, and just when Yori had been ready to give up all hope, everything had been restored. It was more than she could have hoped for.

Eyes sweeping over the room, she noticed Ami glaring at her darkly and whispering to Misaki, who was nodding in agreement with whatever the president was saying. With those two watching, of course her and Zero's conversation would be taken as something more. She continued towards the table. It mattered little to her.

Refilling her glass, Yori settled down to watch the festivities. The ballroom, bedecked almost ostentatiously with holiday decorations, was vibrant with cheer. Couples danced animatedly in the center of the room, friends chatted, and gifts were exchanged. Every student in attendance was radiating a happy glow. It was no wonder that Yuuki had always loved Christmas more than any other time of the year. For once, everyone was simply having fun.

"Enjoying the dance?" a resounding baritone asked, and she turned in surprise to see Yagari, the part time Chairman and teacher of Cross Academy.

"Yes, thank you," she replied. "And yourself?"

He chuckled, "It's tolerable. I wonder if you're enjoying it, though. It seems to me that it would be rather difficult to participate in the dance from over here."

"I like to watch," she answered with a slight shrug.

"Hm. In any case, a certain hyperactive person," here his eyes flicked briefly over to the balcony, where the Chairman was dancing by himself and humming loudly, "wanted me to tell you that you're welcome to celebrate Christmas with him and Zero as usual."

She smiled, touched, "Thank you. Tell him that I'll be there."

"Alright then. Have a good night," he waved and disappeared into the crowd.

After a moment, she turned to watch the dancers, feeling peaceful. Christmas wouldn't be the same without Yuuki, but it wouldn't be completely lonely, either. She wondered how Yuuki's holiday would be, alone in that far away mansion with Kaname and Aidou.

Aidou… Would she enjoy Christmas, even without Yuuki, if he were there? She shook herself, commanding her attention back to the present. What was she thinking?

_I don't like him._

_It's simply inconceivable. _

* * *

Yuuki stopped, frowning in concentration. She listened again, and yes, the sound continued. Her brow furrowed. Who would be humming Jingle Bells in the mansion? Had Kaname invited another guest? The song continued, and she let her feet guide her to a slightly opened door at the end of the hall.

Peeking inside, she felt her eyes widen in disbelief and bit back a laugh. She should have known.

Of course it was Aidou. She should have guessed that immediately. No one else in the mansion would sing under any circumstances. Well, that wasn't necessarily true. Kaname might if she asked him nicely enough…though certainly not a song as silly as Jingle Bells.

Aidou was facing his bed, staring down at something as he hummed. Nothing was visible however, except the oddly familiar wrapping paper lying about, which he was gathering up to throw away.

Curiosity overwhelmed her, and she rushed forward into the room, crying, "Aidou-senpai, what's that? A present?"

"AH!" he made a noise somewhere between a strangled shout, a cough, and his abruptly broken off humming. Whirling around, he quickly threw his arms out to the sides to shield whatever was on the bed, expression shocked and murderous.

Barely containing her laughter at this comical sight, Yuuki attempted to look past him as she continued, "Is it something secret? Let me see! Who gave you a present?"

"None of your business!" he snapped, effectively blocking her efforts as he tried to herd her out of the room. "Get out!"

"I just want to see!" she was enjoying herself far too much.

"Did no one ever teach you the word 'privacy'? There's no doubt about it! Your next lesson is on vocabulary!"

"I just wanna see," she replied innocently, ducking under his arm.

"HEY! Get out right now!" he flailed, but it was too late.

Staring at what was on his bed, something nagged in the back of her mind, pushing forward. "Who would give you an umbrella as a Christmas present?"

"I said it's none of your business!" he repeated angrily.

Beside the umbrella was a well knit scarf, and it was this that her attention was truly focused on. The neat stitching was something that she was all too familiar with. Running her hand across the fabric, even before she caught the autumn and lavender scent that came with it, she knew.

"Yori gave you a present?" she asked in surprise. "Huh, she made this herself, too…"

"If you must know, yes she did," he snatched the scarf away from her, clutching it to his chest like a little kid. "And it isn't yours, so go away!"

"Aidou-senpai," she giggled at his expression. "I'm not going to steal it. But really, why an umbrella, too?"

He made an interesting face, one she had no name for, and then mumbled mysteriously, "In case it rains."

"Why would it rain?" she stared at him in puzzlement.

"It just might!" he huffed, grabbing up the umbrella and stalking out.

"Huh…," she stared after him blankly.

"Oh, and one more thing!" he stuck his head back into the door. "Your lessons start again the day after Christmas!"

"What?! No! Why?! That's so unfair!" she objected, running to the door only to find him already gone.

And just like that, life was back at the normal pace. She moved slowly back to the bed, kneeling to pick up the scraps of wrapping paper that had scattered everywhere when he'd thrown his arms out. Yori's soft scent still clung to the festive tissue, and Yuuki smiled a little. At least Yori was doing alright.

She dropped the paper into the waste bin, staring down at if for a long moment. Red glinted from her left hand, and she shut her eyes. Kaname would be leaving again after Christmas, but the promise remained. It would always remain.

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

* * *

A/N: Gomen for making up random people but I just needed people to babble at Yori and I couldn't think of any of the day class girls other than Shindo.

And just to clarify, yes there is a Christmas break, but not all of the students go on it. That, or they could leave after the dance. And the Kuran party was NOT on Christmas (Eve). Kaname and Yuuki still have yet to celebrate that day. *evil laughter* Anyway, did you really think Aidou could slip off on Christmas (Eve)? Or that Kaname and Yuuki would have no gifts for each other?

By the way, what did you think of Aidou's musical debut? LOL.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Whew...I really didn't know how I was going to cope with this chapter. So, instead of doing what I'd planned, I took a slightly different approach! Some of this is taken from chapters 51 and 52, though it's been changed a bit. I didn't want to mess up Kaname's character so I really think this was the best way. You all know how I feel about Kaname…so you know that me trying to write him without a little help probably wouldn't have gone too well…

**Disclaimer**: Sadly, Hino has not yet given me VK. Until she does, it's still hers. T^T

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

_Forever and ever…_

Like the promise… She shut her eyes tightly, hugging her arms around herself suddenly. There was no regaining the elusive future she so longed for.

_I will forever go on running away from you, Zero, _the words resonated through her mind, hollow and filled with hidden anguish._ Until one of us becomes ashes. Until the whole world ends._

"Until the end," she repeated aloud, her heart twisting in agony within the confines of her chest. Within the confines of her cage…

She rolled onto her side, hand falling to brush against one of the many textbooks piled beside her. That morning she had awoken so determined to push forward, to reach out once more towards that unobtainable, silver etched place. And already her determination had fractured and faded to a mere wisp.

"Kaname-sama and I are pureblood vampires, so we do indeed…live on and on, forever…" her voice trailed off, echoing faintly through the room.

Staring at the bloody pledge that slashed around her finger, she felt reassured in her decision for the first time. The red was always there, always present, staining her reality. The silver was merely a blurred tint that she cast over her memories, an insubstantial illusion that she could never grasp. Why was she trying so hard to take hold of it? Dreams could not be grasped…if caught, they would only turn to smoke and drift away once more.

"I am lonely," she whispered, shutting her eyes to blot out the image of that other face, so engraved over her heart and soul. Carefully, piece by piece, she reconstructed it, shifting silver to crimson.

"I do indeed want to be near him…," she murmured, watching the light spark off her finger like drops of blood. "And he's endured so much sadness for my sake… There's so much love and so much sadness…"

In her mind, she pictured Kaname's solemn, sorrowful expression, thoughts far away in a world of pain and solitude that she could never understand. She conjured his calm, mahogany eyes, his dark, soft hair, his pale, beautiful neck…

With that, she felt an answering wave of bloodlust so intense that she gasped aloud, fingers clenching, violently flinging the droplets of light through the air. Her mouth was suddenly dry, desperate for the taste of that sinful liquid. Her throat burned, scathing her from the inside out, and she curled into herself, eyes wide and breathing erratic.

"_Are you…rid of all your worries and fears..?"_

_Zero._ His name sang through her veins.

"_I only desired your blood, Yuuki."_

_Zero. _Even while thinking of Kaname, even while being drawn to thirst by the sight of him; it was Zero that her thoughts returned to, Zero she longed for...

The silver was closing in again, inescapable.

Her eyes slammed shut, body shaking. Her fingers were clawing against her skin, sharp and painful, yet it was not enough to distract her from the sudden memories rising to the surface of her mind. She could remember all too well the feeling of his arms around her, holding her safe and close… the touch of his lips, warm and soft…the rapture of his body pressed tightly against hers, drinking her in, all of her in…

"Stop it," she begged, palms shoved against her eyes futilely.

The hunger intensified, overwhelming her every sense, but _he_ still dominated every thought, every feeling. She needed _his_ blood, _his_ touch, _his_ presence…_his_ everything. There was nothing in her mind now except the torturous desire and _him_.

Always _him_.

"_I'm fine even if you are no longer next to me. I don't have anything holding me back now. I can relax and focus on accomplishing my objective. Go be next to…the man who can spend eternity with you... But the next time we meet…I will kill you, Yuuki…"_

"Zero," the word fell from her lips like desolation. She trembled helplessly, nails carving bloody swathes into her flimsy skin.

_Thirsty…so thirsty…_

But the blood she craved was unattainable. It would forever be beyond her reach, dangled in front of the golden bars of her prison. Forever and ever...

_Ah yes, I have to study, _she clung desperately to the thought, using any excuse to distract her from the relentless craving.

"Study…" she reached for one of the books, realizing belatedly that it lay beyond the stretch of her arm. Just like so much else…

"Yuuki," the word fell like a velvet sword, cutting the blackness of her thoughts.

She sat up suddenly, all too aware of the picture she must present: her eyes vivid, scorching scarlet, her arms dull, bare burgundy, and her finger glinting ruby red.

"K-Kaname-sama," she stared in surprise and chagrin. Her mind had been so wrapped with thoughts of Zero that she hadn't even registered his presence, by aura or blood.

"You shouldn't be spending Christmas Eve like this," his gaze, tinged with red, smoldered against hers.

"I just thought I might get a little ahead in my studies," she explained, rising to her feet unsteadily.

Before she could straighten, however, she felt his arms close around her in an iron lock that swung her up and against him within a heartbeat. The hall rushed past, a haze of air and color, before she was released onto the familiar contours of her bed. Disoriented, there was a long moment before she could register where she was, sitting on her mattress with Kaname's arm firmly around her, keeping her near.

"A vampire's thirst can only be quenched by the blood of their loved one. Do you remember that?" he asked, eyes intense.

"Yes…," she answered quietly, laboring to hold herself back. Her body was straining towards him, taut with blood lust. She could feel her control fraying faster by the second, tempted with the scent of his rich blood. She took a breath, half to steady herself, half to prepare herself for what she would say. "That's why my thirst can't really be quenched all the way. Because even now there's one chunk of my heart that's attached to a link that I can't cut. One chunk of it is still attached to Zero, so…"

His hand brushed against her cheek, lethal and gentle, "I know. But even with that, Yuuki, you are-"

"Despite that, I…is it…is it okay if I stay by your side despite that?" the sentence seemed to be lodged in her throat. "I want to be by your side forever."

Forever…

That was right. Perhaps somewhere in that endless maze of color she could forget the silver. Perhaps the red would bleed across the rest of the tapestry, blotting out all else. Perhaps, somewhere in the vast jumble of the years to come, she could forget that there had ever been another color.

"And here I was wondering what you were going to say," he murmured, catching hold of her wrist and pressing hand against his cheek. "Yuuki, I would never reject you because of something like that. Of course you can stay with me forever. I don't mind that there's one more person in your heart."

He chuckled quietly, "A Yuuki without a heart full of love and compassion wouldn't be the real you, anyway. Even though you feel for him also, you have still said that you want to stay by my side forever. Even though choosing only one would mean you would probably suffer forever… It's precisely because of this, the very proof that you truly love me in your heart…"

He broke off, face now so close to hers that she barely had room to breathe, "You must be thirsting my blood, correct? If you are, then please…take only my blood to prey upon."

Her breath caught, trapped in her indecision. With his words, her body fought fiercely to wrench itself free from her restraints and indulge in his freely offered blood. The thirst rose, blinding her, deafening her, until it conquered all of her senses. Reeling with need, she allowed her will to collapse, giving in to the intensity of her tainted hunger. Clouded by the mist of silver, she drank in the red, hoping that it might blend with and wash out everything else.

* * *

Shivering against a sudden gust of wind, Yori slipped her hand into her coat pocket, fingers closing around the familiar metal shape there. She couldn't explain the ominous chill that had touched over her heart. Her thumb slid over the smooth object in the center, drawing comfort from its memorized contours. Then, squaring her shoulders and drawing a quick breath, she pressed on down the snowy path back to her dorm.

* * *

The snow crunched pleasantly under their boots as they made their way down the sidewalk. Beside them, the store windows were filled with various wares, all displayed advantageously for the Christmas season. There was a touch of frost to the air, bringing the color out on their cheeks, and the person on the right adjusted his scarf tighter.

"Hanabusa…" Akatsuki's voice drew his attention suddenly.

"Hmm? What is it?" Aidou asked, turning toward his cousin.

"Are you going to tell us about that scarf? You've been wearing it every time we go out," he glanced at the article of clothing pointedly.

"I'd like to know, too," Luca added with a toss of her hair. "I'm ashamed to be seen with you today. It clashes with your jacket."

"Shut up," Aidou snapped crossly. "It's none of your business."

Then, after a moment, "It's just something important, that's all."

"Huh…," Luca stared at him for a moment before exchanging a glance with Akatsuki and shrugging. "Whatever," she let the subject drop, "It's just an ugly old scarf, anyway. It's your choice if you want to embarrass yourself."

Aidou shot her a glare, but didn't respond. Instead, he pulled the scarf further up around his neck, breathing in the soft autumn and lavender scent. A faint smile touched his lips. Luca was undeniably wrong. The scarf would match with any outfit that he wore. She was just incapable of seeing that.

With a slight sigh, he turned his attention to the passing windows. There was still an imposing gap of time between now and when he could finally give Yuuki her next test. And there was always the possibility of her failure. Or, he could just make it absurdly easy… But no, that would be suspicious.

Who would have thought that he'd begin to look forward to these letter deliveries?

He pushed his hands into his pockets, slowing his steps so that he was just behind the other's peripheral vision. Did Yori think of him at all, in the intervals between visits? Or was he merely the means for her to contact Yuuki? He shut his eyes for a moment, frustrated. When had he started to care so much?

Quickening his pace to once again walk beside the others, he tried to block her from his mind. She was only one simple human. Nothing more. Nothing less. All the same…was that one human enjoying her Christmas break? Or was it only a painful reminder that Yuuki was no longer there to share it with her..?

* * *

There was no sound. Nothing graced her ears save for the thunderous silence, drowned out by the weight of the promise that would forever loom in her mind. Her footsteps were voids, absent of everything except the darkness that pooled where her feet touched the floor. With each step, she could feel the tendrils of shadow creeping around her ankles, pulling her back, pulling her down, threatening to consume her.

Stumbling forward, her eyes fell about the unguarded window with a dry sob of relief. Her fingers fumbled, searching in the blackness, and impacted the freezing glass abruptly. The emptiness burned through her, and she pressed her palms hard against that impenetrable, yet deceptively thin barrier. Outside, the snow flew past in white sheets, offering only brief, impartial glimpses of the pale and wavering moon.

It didn't matter what she did, how deeply she was drenched in red. She could never remove the silver from her mind. And now she only hated herself for deceiving Kaname.

The silver would always remain.

Forever and ever…

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

* * *

AN: Here is your chance to participate in this FF! WOO! 8D It's pretty simple: your job is to come up with a perfect present for Kaname to give to Yuuki. And the winner…will have their present featured in the next chapter! *dancing around*

Zero: That's dumb and no one is going to do it.

Me: Well in that case, I'll be the winner! ^__^


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Well, I gave you all some time to respond to my prompt, but I didn't want to make everyone wait _too_ long for the next installment, so if you had something in mind but didn't get your review down in time, sorries!

The winner was…drumroll please…AlleluiaElizabeth! I just adored your lovely idea of Yuuki getting something that used to belong to her parents. I used your comb idea—I hope you don't mind how I made it look. And I also added something of Haruka's. I know you suggested the idea but couldn't think of the right object so I hope you like what I picked!

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own VK? …Don't answer that…

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

A loud rap sounded at the door. The Chairman glanced up from arranging the mantelpiece, making shooing motions to Zero.

"That must be Yori-chan! Answer it, answer it!"

Zero blew out a suffering sigh, taking the few quick strides to the door and jerking it open suddenly enough to startle Yori, who was about to knock a second time. His eyes fell immediately to her red cheeks and slight shivering, and he stepped back, giving her room to pass. She moved out of the cold quickly, though she had some slight difficulty managing the festively wrapped packages balanced under her left arm.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," she commented, rolling her eyes.

"Merry Christmas," he muttered under his breath.

"Yori-chan!" the Chairman exclaimed, rushing forward to hug her, beaming exuberantly. "Merry Christmas! I'm so glad you came!"

Yori smiled happily, "Merry Christmas. Thank you very much for inviting me."

"Of course, of course! We wouldn't think of spending a Christmas without you! Here, let me take those from you," he placed the presents beneath the lavishly ornamented tree.

Yori chuckled quietly to herself. The Chairman had always gone _far_ overboard during the holidays, and this one was no exception. The tree itself didn't even fit into the house; its uppermost limbs were bent awkwardly against the ceiling, but somehow a huge, electrically lit star had still managed to get attached to the top. The rest of the tree was practically dripping with decorations. The branches were so crowded that she wondered how some of the many balls and trinkets hadn't fallen off yet. As for the rest of the house, it was clear that the Chairman's taste remained the same. Tinsel, food, and various other embellishments were strewn everywhere.

"Would you like some cider?" the Chairman asked. "Or maybe you'd like some of my homemade cookies?"

"Yes, please. Some cider sounds nice," she responded, shrugging out of her coat.

"_Your_ homemade cookies?" Zero raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Give credit where it's deserved, Chairman."

"It's _daddy_!" the Chairman nearly sobbed. "At least call me daddy on Christmas!"

Zero only sighed in exasperation.

"You're so mean to me, Zero-kun," he sniffed, then turned to Yori, "Well, I guess it's more appropriate to say _Zero's_ homemade cookies, though I planned them…and added sprinkles!"

Yori smiled, "They're a combined effort, then."

"Yes, yes, that's quite right! See here, Zero! Follow this exquisite young lady's example in manners!" the Chairman exclaimed before bustling into the kitchen to retrieve some cider for her.

Zero shook his head, moving to sit on the couch. Yori watched him carefully. He seemed livelier than usual, though if this was for the Chairman's sake or merely an act, she couldn't have said. Now that his adoptive father was gone, however, she noticed the way his brows drew together, violet eyes staring at a bare spot on the floor near to the tree.

Oh, yes, that was right... Yuuki had always sat there. Every year, she had been so excited for the gift giving-mostly to see everyone's reactions to her presents- that in anticipation, she'd always settled herself directly beside the tree. Now, despite her absence, the spot was left open. Yori felt a pang of sadness prick at her heart, but she shook it off desperately. This was supposed to be a happy time.

"Here you are, Yori-chan!" the Chairman had returned rather suddenly, thrusting a nearly full cup of cider at her and very nearly spilling some of its contents on the floor. He seemed blissfully unaware of the melancholy that had crept over the room.

"Thank you very much," she took it from him carefully, relieved that none of it had stained the carpet.

"Now, what to do, what to do," he hummed merrily, thinking to himself. "Aha! Perhaps a holiday game! Wouldn't that be fun?" His eyes flicked from Yori to Zero eagerly, flinching a little at Zero's obvious unwillingness.

"What kind of game?" Yori asked, attempting to distract him from the hostile glare.

"Oh, a fun one!" he clapped his hands together. "I'll hum a Christmas carol, and you try to guess which one it is! And we'll all take turns! Then, whoever has the most points wins a fabulous cinnamon cake!"

Zero looked like he was ready to commit murder.

Yori intervened quickly, stating, "That sounds nice. Let's play."

"Yay! Alright, I'll start then! Ready?" the Chairman bubbled enthusiastically, gesturing for Yori to take a seat, as well.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Yori wondered if he wasn't compensating for Yuuki's absence…

* * *

Yuuki's fingers clenched tighter around the wooden case she clutched in her lap. She couldn't have said how long she'd been staring at the objects it held. Kaname had left her early, needing to prepare for his departure the next evening, and ever since she had only sat gazing down at what he'd given her. At her Christmas present.

_Something of my parents…_

Her eyes watered unexpectedly. She had barely known her mother and father. If anything, the Chairman was more of a parent than either her father or mother. All the same, she could remember them with the sharp clarity that only vampires possessed. And never before had she owned anything to remember them by, anything that they had once owned.

Until now.

Side by side in the small case, cushioned with soft red velvet, lay the only two material items in the entire world that linked her to her birth parents. She didn't dare remove them, didn't dare to touch them. Instead, she left them as they were, taking them in with her eyes, memorizing every detail.

To the left rested Juuri's favorite antique hair comb. It was fashioned of pure silver, the body lacing in intricate patterns, studded with tiny, winking diamonds. The main attraction of the piece, however, was the arrangement of ruby and garnet roses that overlaid the body. The gems sparkled in the lamplight, catching the illumination as they caught her memories, drawing the image of her mother's perfect, smiling face to the surface of her mind.

To the right, beside the comb, lay Haruka's handkerchief, folded crisply. It was something, Kaname had told her, that he had watched her father wipe Juuri's and her own tears with many times; something that Haruka had kept close to him at all times. The material was simple, white cotton. On the edges was a thin embroidery of intertwined vines, from which bloomed small summer roses. In the upper corner of the square, the initials H.K. were stitched in crimson thread.

Yuuki sniffled, wishing more than ever that she had known her parents better. Her memories of them were few, overshadowed by the hundreds of others that she had accumulated since then. She was intensely grateful and touched that Kaname had decided to entrust her with these, and unspeakably glad that they had been preserved for all this time.

Her own gift, a painting that she had made herself, was nothing in comparison to this. Then again, she also hadn't been allowed to leave the mansion to go shopping… She felt herself frown with this thought. Since her arrival, she had not left the building at all… Not once.

But out there, in that snowy, wintry world, was a certain silver-haired hunter enjoying his Christmas? Were Yori and the Chairman enjoying theirs, as well? There was no way for her to know. All she could do was wait.

Always wait…

* * *

"Take care, Yori-chan!" the Chairman waved to her as she stepped down off the porch.

"You too, Chairman Cross," she called, unable to return the wave as her hands were laden with the goods she'd received. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" he radiated holiday cheer.

The Chairman waited until she was strolling down the frozen path before closing the door. Yori smiled against the biting cold, pressing the warm food closer to her for heat. Her steps were quick but precise, keeping her from slipping on any hidden ice. As she walked, she watched her breath puff out in a frosty cloud before her, visible with the aid of the dim outdoor lights.

If she focused herself, like the Chairman, on the present time, then she could say that this had been a fine Christmas. On the other hand, if she let herself linger even for a second on the memories of the past, then all the cheer vanished without a trace, leaving her only hollow and aching for the past days when Yuuki's infectious laugh and engaging smile filled each moment.

So she determined not to think of it.

Rather, she concentrated on the remembrance of the Chairman's general excitement, of the jokes and songs, of Zero's grudging tolerance, of everything except the void that Yuuki had once filled. When her mind threatened to turn to it, she forced herself to snap to reality. The cold burned at her cheeks, bit at her fingers, and she took it in with satisfaction. It kept her centered, grounded.

Once back in her dorm, however, the sight of the untouched bed tore at her heart. She swallowed, unloading her armful of food and gifts onto her desk, purposely turning away from it. If she were to see it now…

Within a moment, however, her shoulders straightened. She was strong, much stronger than this. She could keep going, even without Yuuki by her side, as long as she knew that Yuuki was safe. And soon, very soon she would be able to hear her words again, read the messy scrawl of her letter. This time, Yori finally had something to give Yuuki. It was only a simple scrap of paper, but it was far more than she had ever thought possible.

And soon, very soon, she would see Aidou again…

Her body froze, heartbeat accelerating.

What?

Why did she feel so…_exhilarated_ at the prospect?

Why was her heart beating this fast?

* * *

"Good morning, Yuuki-sama!" the all too familiar voice jerked her from her thoughts with a groan.

"Go away!" she retorted, clinging fiercely to her sketchbook.

"Have a nice Christmas?" came the wicked reply.

"I'm trying to make a sketch," she returned, ignoring him.

"Not anymore!" Aidou replied cheerfully, whisking away the sheet of paper, ignoring her squeak of protest, and sliding a different sheet in front of her.

"Noooo!" Yuuki cried mournfully.

"It's been far too long since we had any lessons," he folded his arms. "And for this session, as promised, we'll be focusing on vocabulary."

"Aidou-senpai," she whined.

"Don't 'Aidou-senpai' me," he removed her drawing to a table across the room. "You're going to pass this one with an A, even if I have to forcefully ensure that these words make it into your brain."

Yuuki stared at him in horror while he smiled casually.

Then, belatedly, "Aidou-senpai, why are you still wearing that scarf? The snow is outside…"

Aidou flinched with surprise, cheeks reddening, much to Yuuki's shock. "It's n-nothing! I just forgot to take it off, that's all!" He removed the item hurriedly, laying it over the back of a chair.

"Isn't that Yori's present?" Yuuki murmured, trying to remember.

"Okay, time to work," Aidou announced, purposely avoiding the question.

His plan succeeded.

"No! Not until tomorrow!" Yuuki begged.

"Today's the day. Remember? We already talked about this," he shook his head, tapping the edge of the paper.

"Darn," she sighed. "Oh, fine. But just for a little while."

Aidou smirked, instructing her to read over the list of words. Who knew? Maybe she would have them memorized quickly and he could return to the academy earlier than he anticipated. He scowled abruptly. He really had to stop thinking that way. What was so great about seeing one human girl, anyway?

Only everything…

Damn.

* * *

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: I know the chapter is kinda bleh but as Zero's Xmas present, I'm pretty sure you should review! xDD


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I'm so so so sorry! I've just now finished with the semester, and exams and such, so I haven't had much time to write. Forgive me! And forgive the fact that I wrote this chapter really fast so the quality is not that good. T^T I'll make the next one better.

And as I said my lovely readers, you must have patience. Trust me, you'll get Zeki. I promise.

Disclaimer: Oh Matsuri Hino, please bestow upon me the rights to this lovely manga! *Waits* Nope. Still nothing.

--o--[Chapter Start]--o--

Two black shapes strode into view, glinting faintly in the distant, sickly orange light that emanated from the street lamp. A ragged gasp broke through the ominous silence, bouncing off the continuously narrowing walls, reverberating off those two soulless forms. The dark form opposing those shapes scrabbled backwards desperately, searching with frantic, bloody hands for something, anything to defend itself with, and was rewarded with only a discarded cigarette butt.

White teeth flashed a lethal smirk in the dirty alley. The scrabbling intensified; panicked breaths created an irregular, accelerated tempo as the black forms took another step forward. The street light, a distinct marker of hope, seemed as far away and lost as another world.

"P-please, don't kill me. I didn't know what I was doing, I swear! I didn't mean to…I didn't want to…I'm sorry, so don't kill me!" the voice came hoarse, disjointed, and near hysterical.

"It's for your sake," the reply was cold, calculated. The barrel of a gun swung down, sudden burning silver before the burning red eyes of the shadow on the ground.

"Please! Don't kill me! I'll do anything!" he screamed, praying, praying that someone would hear and come.

"There is nothing for you to do except die," the safety clicked. The finger moved.

"Please!"

_Click._

The sudden, muted boom of the bullet resonated like thunder through the alley. Crimson splashed out, a spray of life and death. The gun disappeared and a pale hand grabbed the crumpling form, pulling it to the standing figure. Elongated fangs caught a glimmer of stray light.

The streets remained unaware.

* * *

Aidou paused, hand poised in front of the door, suddenly unsure. For the first time in his rush to get to the academy, successfully speeding without consequence, he wasn't sure what to do. His heart was beating awkwardly, an uncertain rhythm that he had never experienced before. A thousand broken thoughts were running through his head all at once, flowing around and through one another.

What if she wasn't happy to see him?

What if she thought it odd that he was wearing her scarf?

What if she hadn't liked the necklace?

What if…what if…?

He swallowed. What was he thinking? He was _Hanabusa Aidou_ for crying out loud. Why should one little girl scare him? But for the first time, being Hanabusa Aidou didn't seem like much of a reassurance. Taking a deep breath, he allowed his fist to connect with the wood of the door. His heart lurched abruptly, and he had only a moment until the door was pulled open.

Yori was before him within a matter of seconds, looking slightly breathless, eyes wide and excited, though from what, he couldn't say. Upon seeing him, she relaxed instantly, forming a beautiful smile that made her eyes sparkle with happiness. The world started to spin, the breath effectively knocked out of him.

He could only return her smile, feeling himself relax in turn, "Hello again."

"Good evening," she replied with slight shyness, stepping back to allow him into her room.

It was only with effort that he managed to make it into her room without touching her. It was nearly impossible to suppress the urge to pull her into his arms, to hold her close and breathe in her perfect scent. It had been far too long since he'd last seen her.

There was a small pause, each of them gathering words, before they both said at once, "How was your Christmas?"

There was a laugh, breaking the tension, and Aidou answered, "Dull, really. But I did get to see my sisters. It's rare to see them together in one place."

"That sounds nice," she smiled. "I had a good Christmas as well. I went to the Chairman's place. His decorating is really quite…unique," she chuckled.

Aidou grinned, "I can only imagine."

"Well…," and with that prompting, she began to tell him about the Chairman's crazy ornamentation and holiday games.

* * *

A lifeless body fell limply to the ground, extremities dissolving slowly into fine grey ash. The standing figure licked his lips, eyes flaring from hungry scarlet to collected violet. He remained where he was for a long moment, watching the transformation of the dead vampire.

Suddenly, he was seized with a convulsion that wracked his body. White hands clutched at his chest uselessly, gasping. It was with terrible willpower that he managed to straighten himself, teeth clenched and shoulders trembling. He knew without having to look that his eyes had reverted to their previous red. This one vampire hadn't been nearly enough.

Nothing would ever be enough. Not to quench this thirst. What he needed was something unobtainable, something beyond his reach.

"Yuuki."

* * *

"Do you like that scarf?" Yori asked. She hadn't noticed it at first, but he was actually still wearing it.

"Oh, oops," was it just her, or was he flushing slightly? "I keep forgetting to take it off. But yes, I do. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she answered as he removed the scarf and his coat, neatly setting them down beside him.

She studied the carpet for a moment, unsure. Did he forget to take the scarf off because she hadn't made it very well, or because of something else…? She gave herself a mental shake, then, "About the necklace you gave me, Aidou-kun…thank you. Really, thank you. I didn't think I could accept it for a while. I might even have made some of the girls at the dance hate me for it," she laughed nervously, fingers gripping the edge of the bed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He grinned, "You should have told them that you got it from their beloved Idol-senpai."

She made a face, "Only if I had a death wish."

He chuckled, "Some of those girls scare me."

"It's not like they'd ever do anything to hurt you," she rolled her eyes. "They did think for some strange reason that I was dating Zero-kun, though. I really don't get it."

"_Kiryuu?_" he nearly spat, face contorted with aversion.

"I see you still haven't gotten over your petty differences," she commented dryly.

"That's not it!" he exclaimed. "It's just the thought that you-," he broke off, looking chagrined. "Sorry. That's really not the reason… I still don't like him, don't get me wrong, but…how could he get a necklace like that, anyway?! It's insulting!"

Yori regarded him blandly, "So you're insulted because Kiryuu is poor."

"What?" he was obviously taken aback by her statement. Realization seemed to hit him then, "N-No! That's definitely _not it!_ I-ugh," he rubbed his eyes with his palms, frustrated. He always made everything a mess around her.

"Well then, what is the reason? Since it's apparently something a simple human can't comprehend," she folded her arms.

He shifted uncomfortably, eyes moving to the window, "It's nothing, sorry."

Her own eyes fell to the floor, her bottom lip catching in her teeth for a brief moment before she looked up again. She hadn't meant for her question to have this effect. She hadn't meant for there to be a moment remotely like this.

For so many days she had been longing to see him, to speak to him, and for a while, it was as if she had known him for years rather than weeks. Talking to him about her Christmas, sharing with him all of the Chairman's quirks and hearing, in turn, about Yuuki's antics… It had been an experience she'd craved unconsciously. To speak to someone so easily, to laugh, to simply relax. It was something she hadn't done nearly as often or as much as she should have liked. Only Yuuki had been able to bring that out in her. Until now…

"It's just…" he murmured after a moment, looking back over at her, looking uncertain, "I really can't see you with Kiryuu at all. The thought kind of…bugs me." His brows drew together, unnamed emotions running behind his eyes.

She blinked in surprise, heart stuttering for a moment before rushing faster. Logically, she tried to tell herself that it meant nothing. He only hated Zero. Nothing more. But illogically, and the part that vied hardest for dominance within her mind, she wanted it to mean something else. She wanted it to mean something like, "_I can't see you with Kiryuu because the only one I can see you with is me._"

Her eyes widened at herself. What was with that kind of thinking? She had never entertained such a thought in her entire life. It scared her, and at the same time…

_Okay_, she thought, _so I might have a little crush on him._

Might _have a _little_ crush? _came the reciprocating thought.

"Zero-kun isn't really all that bad. He's just a bit…antisocial. It's just a matter of how well you know him," she forced a shrug, shutting down the flow of her thoughts.

Aidou grimaced, "I have a hard time liking anyone who tried to kill me. Although, admittedly, I did provoke him..."

She fixed him with a look, "So you see, it's your own fault."

"Maybe, but he doesn't always have to be in such a bad mood all the time. Does he ever even smile?" he demanded.

"Sure he does…," she trailed off, frowning, trying to recall an instance when she had witnessed this. "Sometimes…probably… Well, I've never seen him but I'm sure he does!" There was a pause, and then she laughed. "Okay, I see your point."

He watched her for a moment, expression somehow shifting to something wistful, absorbed. She frowned slightly, eyebrows rising as she asked, "What is it?"

He blinked, a faint blush definitely coloring his cheeks this time, and looked away, muttering, "You're really beautiful when you laugh..."

She froze, stunned at this statement, her heart fully stopping before pounding into overdrive. Her head was starting to spin. For a long moment, she couldn't even remember how to speak. She just stared at him, unable to do more.

He glanced back at her, nervously, and then continued in a rush, "Don't misunderstand! It's not just when you laugh. You're always beautiful, just especially so when you smile… You should more often, you know."

She had to force herself to breathe. No one had ever said such things to her before. At least, no one she wasn't related to. She had never expected any boy to think she was pretty, but to hear that she was _beautiful_, and from _Aidou_, who had been the most popular boy of the night class, and no doubt had seen girls far prettier than she… Her mind was in knots, sticking and jumbling every thought together in such a way that she could not compose a single comprehensible sentence in reply.

Breathlessly, flushing a pale pink, she managed to snatch an incredulous word or two from the tangle of her thoughts, "Do you really think so?"

Aidou shook his head, suddenly speaking in a low, serious voice, "No, Yori, I don't think so. I _know_ so. You're stunning."

Her voice caught in her throat. She was aware only of the sound of her blood rushing through her ears, of the way the air around her seemed to have a peculiar static electricity to it, of the way his eyes caught and held hers, completely honest and completely, impossibly blue. Like a summer lake in the sunlight, like everything she had ever wanted or dreamed of.

The blue of his eyes stretched on towards infinity, deeper and more profound than any color, any substance that she had ever seen. It was, in that moment, more than the shade of a cloudless afternoon sky or a rain slicked umbrella she held while wistfully passing the night dorm on her way to class. It was the promise of everything, of laughter and tears, innocence and sin, of a concept too vast for comprehension.

She was slipping away, into that blue. She was on the verge, she knew, of falling. Falling into the unknown, into revelation and risk. She felt the breath sweep out of her, fading into nothing. The world was hazing in and out of focus, the lines were blurring, but the blue was a source of clarity. It was the only thing she could focus on. It would only take a movement, a short step, to-

_Tap tap. _"Yori-chan, are you still awake?" the question splintered them apart like a hammer.

Yori gasped a little, startled and mind reeling. Her thoughts jumped from place to place, frantic to grasp something concrete. She fumbled with words for a moment, dazed, before she clamped down on herself and inhaled deeply, shoving away the remembrance of the blue that threatened to engulf her.

"Y-yes." She took another breath to further steady herself. "I was just reading."

"Have you seen Mizuki?" came the reply.

"No, I haven't," she returned, eyes closing for a moment, collecting herself.

"Oh, alright then. Let me know if you do. She hasn't come in yet."

"I will," she assured the girl.

"Thanks. Good night."

"Good night," she called.

Silence.

Aidou cleared his throat, uncertain. His tone was barely above a whisper, "Sorry."

Sorry? No. Don't apply that word here. Sorry meant something like, "_I wish I could take it back._"

She smiled though, smiled for him, "It was my fault."

His gaze softened, clearly dazzled by her smile, then took a breath, eyes sharpening back to reality, "No. It's no one's fault, then."

There was a pause, and then she switched the subject, unsure of what to say back, "I almost forgot to ask. Do you like sweets?"

"Sweets?" he seemed surprised by the change of topic, then nodded. "Yes, I do."

"The Chairman loaded me up with cookies and cake if you're interested in taking some back. You could share with Yuuki."

He brightened, "I might do that. She's been looking a little down lately."

"Really? Why?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm not really sure, to be honest. It happened around Christmas time, though. I can't pinpoint the day, but there was a definite change," his mouth turned down, remembering. "I'm sure Yuuki will have said something in the-" he broke off abruptly, face registering shock.

"What is it?" she asked in alarm.

"The letter…," he finished lamely, pulling it out of his jacket pocket. "I forgot all about giving this to you…"

"O-oh," she blushed again, hand flying to her mouth. She had forgotten herself. Forgotten about something so important. Forgotten Yuuki because her mind had been so filled with Aidou…

They exchanged an embarrassed look. Aidou handed the envelope across the gap between the beds, and Yori set it in her lap. She really couldn't believe that something this important had slipped from her mind. But lately, she had begun to think about seeing him again more and more, and when she at last had, everything else had shifted to the background.

"I guess I should read it," she stated quietly, realizing a beat too late how silly that sounded.

"Probably," he agreed. He turned his gaze out the window, giving her space to read in peace.

She slid the letter out, settling herself back against the wall like usual. Then, quite a bit later than she'd intended, she began to read.

* * *

Two pairs of eyes looked up, snickering with bloodstained teeth.

"What do _you_ want?" one sauntered closer, eyes mad with lust.

A shrug, "I want you to die."

Laughter. The pair exchanged an amused glance, the first folding his arms, "Funny. I thought that you must want to die, confronting us like this."

The gun moved swiftly, slashing through the air in a silver arc.

* * *

The paper fell from her hand, eyes wide.

Engaged?

No, surely it was a mistake. Surely there was some error in the letter. It couldn't be true, couldn't. There was no way that Yuuki would accept Kaname now. Not now. Not when Zero had finally reciprocated some effort. Not when Yuuki was in love with Zero.

"Yori-chan?" Aidou jerked away from the window. "What's wrong? What is it?"

She just stared at the paper, disbelieving. No. Yuuki wouldn't destroy herself this way.

"Yori-chan? Is everything okay?" she felt a hand against her shoulder.

She blinked, looked up dazedly at Aidou's worried expression. Her lips began to form the word, the curse, _engaged_, and then she swallowed, saying instead, "Yes, sorry. I was just shocked."

His eyebrows slanted down, obviously still concerned.

"Really, I'm okay," she reassured him, offering a small smile. "I was just…taken aback."

"The engagement," he guessed.

She nodded, lips pressing together, "Yuuki…she…she's so young…"

Aidou thought about this for a moment, then sat beside her, "I know. But…Yuuki-sama, she's grown up a lot since you last saw her, though she still has a lot more growing to do. I don't think that they'll get married anytime soon. I think this is more of their way of sealing a promise to each other, to show that they really do intend to spend the rest of their lives together."

He leaned his head back, eyes shutting briefly before he said, "Kaname-sama will be patient with her. He won't push her into anything, and he'll be very kind to her. I know you're worried, but she's in the safest place she can be right now."

Yori nearly argued, but instead remained silent. She had a rather small opinion of Kuran. He had taken Yuuki away so very quickly and, in a sense, had stolen her life. Even before that, she strongly disliked the way he'd treated her at times. There was this controlling feel…

She would do anything to have Yuuki back with her at the academy. Not just for the selfish reasons, because she was lonely and because she longed for her closest-and only-friend, but also because she wished that Yuuki could be restored to her old self again. The Yuuki who wrote to her now was desolate and confused, despairing and torn. She only desired the carefree days at the academy, the simple pleasures and the company of the people she held most dear. It wasn't fair that she was chained in some remote mansion, alone and miserable, unable to even see the sun.

What had Yuuki done to deserve this? And why, when there was that elusive opportunity for freedom, did she lock the shackles that bound her? Why did she agree to an engagement that would promise her eternal unhappiness?

Yori swallowed around a sudden lump in her throat. Her fingers clenched unconsciously against her knee. There was no way to regain that old innocence. And no matter how desperately lonely Yori was, no matter how much she prayed for a single chance to glimpse her friend's face, she could never be with her again.

She trembled slightly. She could survive now; she could bear the days of solitude, of eating her lunch in the corner by herself or walking to classes alone, because of these letters. But this contact couldn't continue forever. What would happen when it stopped? After that time, would she ever even hear from Yuuki?

"Yori-chan…," she heard Aidou murmur. She shut her eyes. She didn't want him to see this pitiful part of her.

She felt his arm fold around her, pulling her head against him gently. She tensed for a moment, startled, and then allowed herself to lean against him, pressing her face against his shirt to hide her eyes. Breathing in his subtle, soft scent and feeling his warmth made her feel comforted, more than she had thought possible.

And at the same time, a terrible pang ripped through her heart. Because soon, all too soon she would have to say goodbye to him, too, and watch him walk out the door for another two long, everlasting weeks. Without intending to, she had somehow woven her fingers into his shirt, as if this simple action could keep him there. She pressed herself against him a little more, trying to calm down but unable to do so.

"I miss her," her voice nearly failed her; choked out in a confession of weakness she'd never thought she'd utter.

"I know," he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, leaning his cheek against her hair. "I know…"

* * *

Still not enough. He wiped his mouth, grimacing at how the crimson blotched his skin. But that was his limit for the night. Kill anymore and he would risk incurring the wrath of not only the Chairman but also both the hunter and vampire societies. Personally, he thought he was doing them a favor, ridding them of all these level E vermin, but it seemed that the thought wasn't a shared one.

He fingered the blood tablets in his pocket. Unpleasant as they were, at least he was fairly used to them. And it wasn't like there was any solution to his thirst. Unless _she_ suddenly appeared to offer him her blood again… He sighed, turning back towards the main streets.

No, her blood was only for _Kuran_ now. It had always been that way, and he had been deluded to hope otherwise.

But he had still broken down and read her letters…

* * *

Yuuki gnawed at her lower lip, regarding the stack of blood tablet packages with wonder. How many did a person really need? Certainly no one else carried around this amount of them, and she was pretty sure that Aidou hadn't done so either, a few weeks ago.

Not to mention…wasn't he normally back around this time? She glanced at the clock uneasily. He should have been back hours ago. Surely he hadn't gotten into an accident, or some other sort of trouble?

She sighed. She was eager for Yori's letter, and bored without anyone else around. Then again, there was always studying…

She made a face. No, she'd occupy herself with something else. For example…playing detective. She returned to her blood tablet inspection.

* * *

Yori noticed the clock with a shock, "Oh my…"

Aidou followed her gaze, wincing, "Oops. Sorry, I'm keeping you from your sleep."

"It's okay. Tomorrow is Sunday anyway," she shrugged. After finishing her letter, she and Aidou had somehow started talking and…

_And now it's nearly 2 a.m._ her brain finished for her.

Yet she still wished that she could keep him longer. Aidou surprised her in ways she hadn't expected. While she'd known he was smart, one of the most gifted in the night class, she had never thought that he could actually display his intelligence in a conversation as he just had. In fact, she could dare to say that he was one of the few people that she truly enjoyed talking to. He was clever, opinionated, engaging, and often had very thought provoking things to say. There was no trace of the playboy 'Idol-senpai' tonight.

"Even so, I should have thought of it," he scowled. "But during this time…"

"You're awake, I know," she smiled. "I don't mind, though. As I said, I can sleep in tomorrow."

"Alright," he replied slowly. "If you say so."

"I do," she stated firmly, and he smiled in response.

There was a lengthy pause, and then reluctantly, he said, "I guess I should get going, then…"

"Yes…," she looked away, fingers locking against her bed. Unwillingly, she moved to the bedside table, sealing her letter inside an envelope and inconspicuously slipping the scrap of paper from Zero inside before handing it to him.

His brows pushed together, eyes downcast and struggling with something, before he accepted it. Then he stood, shrugging on his coat and the scarf and putting the letter into the inside pocket. Yori stood a moment later, heart sinking with his imminent departure. She turned to her desk, picking up a few containers of the many Christmas treats she'd collected, and giving them to him. Sluggishly, as if time were dragging against them, they moved to the door. Aidou's hand was on the knob, but he stayed where he was, eyes turbulent with emotion.

"Good night," he murmured at last.

"Good night," she replied quietly.

She looked up at him, looked up into his eyes, knowing that it would be a long time before she could see him next. As much as she wanted him to stay, she knew she would have to be patient. She could wait. She would wait. There was no other choice.

Already, she could feel herself slipping away by the tide of his eyes. She knew she should break this contact, step away and let him go, but she somehow couldn't. She _wanted_ to be lost there, because it meant that he was still with her. So she let the blue carry away her thoughts, let it take her somewhere far away.

Adrift, she hadn't noticed when he'd come closer, but suddenly she felt the soft brush of his fingers against her cheek, bare as a feather. Within a moment, before she could react, she felt the gentle, warm pressure of his lips against her forehead.

Then he was gone.

Her fingers rose, belatedly, to touch the place where he had kissed her.

* * *

"Here," Aidou handed her the envelope.

"Um, Aidou-sempai, that's a…coat rack…," Yuuki giggled, strolling over to pluck the envelope from his fingers.

"Is it?" he asked distractedly, barely sparing it a second glance.

"Is uh…everything okay?" she inquired. "And why were you out so late?"

"None of your business," he snapped, returning to himself at a predictable moment. "And here," he thrust some delicious smelling boxes into her arms. "These are from Yori-chan."

"Ooh, these are Chairman's homemade goods! I just know it! That was nice of her."

He nodded, mind clearly elsewhere.

She tried again, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," he spaced out a little here, and Yuuki blew out a sigh, deciding it was best to ignore him.

She moved to the couch closest to her, relieved to finally have the letter in hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Aidou with a definite daydreaming look on his face, his fingers touching his lips for a moment before he straightened and brushed past her.

"The plot thickens," Yuuki giggled to herself, thinking of her little investigation. One which kept her from dying of boredom but also…had found no conclusion. So much for her detective career.

She slit the envelope open with a nail, letting the familiar loose leaf paper fall out. Fluttering out with it was a small scrap of jaggedly torn paper, folded unevenly down the middle. It landed on her lap like a stray snowflake.

Stark and white, it called her attention in a way that she couldn't describe. She leaned forward a little, reaching for it.

* * *

--o--[Chapter End]--o--

A/N: Don't hate me xDD.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: GOMENASAIIIIIII! My computer broke and was out for a whole MONTH. Imagine my torture… So please please don't be mad at me! There was nothing I could do!!! So as repayment, here's a new chappie!

Disclaimer: NO I DON'T OWN VK

Yuuki brushed her fingers against the white slip of paper delicately. There was some pull to that tiny scrap, some force that called her to it. Lip catching between her teeth, she reached for the larger sheet. Yori would no doubt have said something about the little note.

As she unfolded the letter, she settled herself more comfortably on the couch. The delicious aroma from the boxes of Christmas treats beside her tantalized her mouth and stomach, but she resisted the temptation to eat one, intent on reading the letter. She had certainly waited long enough to read it, thanks to a certain senpai!

Her eyes scanned the words greedily, sucking in every detail. She avidly read about Yori's Christmas experience with the Chairman and Zero, feeling a slight sting in her heart at the thought of the overly decorated tree. She wondered if the spot she'd always sat in beneath it had been left open, or covered with gifts.

_I must admit I was rather shocked at the news of your engagement. Please promise me that you'll think it over carefully first, okay? Marriage is not something to be taken lightly, though I'm sure you don't need to hear that from me. Are you really sure that you want to spend the rest of your life bound to Kaname when you love Zero? Please, please think about it for a long time before you decide. _

Yuuki's mouth turned downwards, creasing into a frown. What was there to think about? Hadn't she already made that decision? Zero was…Zero was Zero. He would never respond to her. The thought sent a shudder through her, and she closed her eyes for a long moment before continuing to read. She _had_ thought about it, and this was the only reasonable course of action.

_Yuuki… what does it mean when you can't stop thinking about someone, no matter how hard you try? When you see their face every time you close your eyes and live simply for the next chance to see them? _

Yuuki stared at the paper for a long moment, stunned.

She reread the lines, eyebrows shooting up so high that they might have flown off her brow. Words such as those were the _last_ thing that she had expected to read in a letter from Yori. Had her friend finally started to notice someone? Yori had always been very shy and reserved, so much so that none of the boys in the day class would approach her. Not that they had seemed particularly interested in any girl who wasn't in the night class, but even so.

Those lines suggested more than just a crush, though. If that was the case, why hadn't Yori mentioned this person in her letters? Her letters were very limited in the people they spoke of: herself, the Chairman, Zero, and Aidou. It was very rare that another name snuck its way in there, and unless it was a sensei or a relation, it was _always _female. Or had Yori actually been keeping it a secret? She nibbled on her lip thoughtfully.

Yuuki would definitely question her in the return letter. It really was strange that Yori hadn't named a boy. She shrugged. After saying something like that, there was no way that Yori would evade her questions about his identity. Her eyes skimmed further down, then widened perceptibly.

_This may seem like a strange question, but lately I've been wondering on the subject. Zero says that normal food doesn't do much for vampires. I was just thinking about that so I thought I'd ask. What did it feel like when Zero bit you? Did it hurt? I can't believe I was so oblivious to not notice the constant bandage on your neck._

As innocent a question as it seemed, Yuuki felt that there was something more to the words than the obvious meaning. She scowled, squinting hard at the paper as if the force of her stare could decipher those words. She _really_ wasn't cut out for any detective work in the future.

Which reminded her…things were certainly turning strange around Aidou and Yori. Excessive tablets, late hours, mysterious behavior, and odd letters! She blew out a sigh. Maybe they were affecting each other during the letter exchanges. Maybe it was even some strange disease.

At the end of the letter, as expected, the issue of the paper scrap was addressed. Of it, Yori merely said:

_P.S. There should be a scrap of paper in the envelope, too. It's for you, Yuuki. Please think everything over very carefully. Marriage is a decision that, once made, is not easily taken back._

Too curious to put it off any longer, Yuuki replaced the letter in the envelope and set it aside, already reaching for the note. Smoothing the crease slowly, she stifled a gasp of shock. The scrawl of messy letters, hastily scribbled down with a blotted ink pen, was from a hand she had never expected. There was no mistaking the handwriting. She could never forget the slight slant of the letters or the barely dotted I's. Only three words were written there, but they were three words more than she had ever dreamt of…three words that could twist her emotions around in a single second.

_Idiot, stop worrying._

For some reason, the tears wouldn't stop falling.

* * *

The sharp clack of polished shoes against the floor caused the throng of hunters in the hall to glance up. Some of them shook their heads slightly, others merely watched with impassive eyes. A general murmur rose through the Hunter's Association as the tall, silver haired figure strode past, effectively ignoring his audience.

Within the designated meeting room, the sound of an angry voice drifted out into the hall, "See?! He doesn't even show up. I'm telling you, I really don't approve of him becoming the future pres-"

Zero burst into the meeting room without so much as a knock, mouth set in a firm line and eyes glinting in the florescent lighting. He cast a harsh stare at the offending party before shutting the door firmly.

"Hey Zero, you're late," Yagari drawled from his chair.

"Of course I am," Zero glared. "Do you have any idea how far apart the academy and the Hunter's Association Headquarters are?" There was a pause, then, "So, what the hell are you people thinking?" This statement was accentuated by the slam of his hands against the desk. "I hear the Hunter's Association and the vampires will be holding a 'ball' together the night after the negotiations?!"

"Tss," Yagari rolled his eyes. "Zero is as bull-headed as a certain somebody here…" He sent a pointed glance to the other hunter.

"Hey, no fair," the other replied. "I agreed the party is a necessity. As I was saying before his arrival, I'm just worried about the obvious dangers of this whole thing. Sure, everyone's saying how Kiryuu's powers and fighting ability make him an impressive ally and all but…we can't forget that he was owned by a pureblood. Do you really think we should make this guy our next president despite the fact that he was tamed by that little Kuran missy? Isn't that ridiculous?!"

Zero smirked, "What a coincidence. I think the exact same thing myself."

"Huh…we get along rather well, unexpectedly."

"Are you both _morons_, by any chance?!" Yagari demanded. "The hunter criteria for picking our presidents is pure strength, get it in your thick heads already. All that matters is whether the guy is powerful enough to control by fear the rest of the hunters or not. That's it! This discussion is over!"

After a breath, allowing this to sink in, he continued, "Okay Zero, you'll find there a list of the vampires who will be at the ball. Memorize it all and take care of surveillance." He gestured to a stack of papers, which Zero picked up a moment later. "Vampires who held a position of power in the previous society will be attending this gathering. The purpose is for both sides to "socialize," reinforcing the idea that we'll be continuing to work together for peace. Or at least, that's what it's officially supposed to be. That's pretty much all that can be done, aside from simply hoping that this brand-new peace won't be short-lived."

Flipping through the papers, he held his breath for a brief moment, eyes locked on a single line of letters, printed in callous black ink. He couldn't hear the words that Yagari was saying. All that he could concentrate on was that single, uniform, uninterested line.

_Kuran, Yuuki._

* * *

The thought wouldn't stop circulating through her brain, over and over, an alarm of danger and urgency.

_Kaname is coming home. Kaname is coming home. Kaname is coming home._

She couldn't race through the corridors fast enough, breathless as she swerved to a stop outside Aidou's door, sliding ungracefully across the carpet. Her ungainly entrance earned her a swift glower, as her teacher was bent over some official looking documents. Then, he promptly proceeded to ignore her.

"Aidou-senpai, I have something I want to ask you," Yuuki folded her hands before her primly.

"No, you can't get an automatic A on your next test," Aidou glared, turning back to the papers on his desk.

She rolled her eyes, then cleared her throat, "Um, is it possible for us to have a quick lesson this week? I know it's a lot to ask, but there's…well there's some really important things I need to discuss with Yori-chan, and I don't think I can wait another two weeks to do so… It's very important that I speak with her as soon as possible."

He looked up from his desk with obvious surprise, then scowled, "You know, _some_ of us have better things to do than play mailman all the time."

"_Please_?" she asked, lower lip trembling in a puppy expression. "I'll work hard, I promise!"

"Don't look at me like that!" he shouted, purposely turning away from her. After a moment, he glanced back, "Stop it, really!"

"Pretty please with _sugar_ on top? Kaname-sama is coming back soon, and if I don't write to Yori now, I might not have the chance to for a while!"

He started at her for a long time, eyes betraying nothing. Then, "Fine, but this time you _have_ to get an A. No excuses."

She nodded eagerly, "Yes, okay. Thank you so much!"

"And as for the subject…"

She cringed, waiting.

"How does art sound?" he asked after a moment.

Yuuki practically squealed with delight, "Thank you, thank you Aidou-senpai!" She rushed forward to fling her arms around him.

"H-hey! Stop that! Get off me!" he struggled, jerking out of his chair. "Get off me this instant or I'll change it to _history_."

She immediately disengaged herself, dancing out the door with another, "Thank you!"

Aidou sat down again, eyes growing distant. Unconsciously, two fingers lightly brushed against his lips. He smiled faintly in the lamp light.

* * *

"The dorm…you won't go back to living there?" the Chairman asked gently.

The silver haired youth threw himself down on the bed, facing towards the wall. He really didn't want to discuss this right now. All he wanted was to be alone. That one line of text was haunting him.

His expression darkened, "By day, I go to school, and by night, I hunt vampires as the Association wishes. In exchange for that, I've earned the little freedom of living here." There was a lengthy pause, filled only with the quiet sound of breathing, and then, "I don't want to be in the dorm, because by night I hunger uncontrollably." His hand twisted in the sheets, eyes squeezing shut, "If I don't spend my nights hunting down vampires…I don't know what I might end up doing. …Why can't I just kill them as I please? There's not enough to satisfy me this way…"

Kaien Cross sighed, "The execution lists exist precisely so that we don't become a pack of murderers hunting down any vampire randomly. Uhm…you came home pretty late last night…did you go anywhere? Your coat is all covered in something dusty…"

Zero gave a mirthless laugh, eyes opening slowly, "There were a few of them…"

"Kiryuu-kun," came the sharp response, "please tell me that because there weren't enough killings to satisfy you, you didn't go and-"

"Don't worry, Chairman," he cut the older man off brusquely. "The ones I killed had been on the list already, since quite a long while before. I'm not going around making up reasons for killing just to suit my urges, don't worry."

"I'm sorry," Cross put a hand to his brow, rubbing his temple, "It's just that I haven't seen you in a while, and I couldn't help… It seems I worry far more than I should. From your point of view, my worries must certainly be annoying…aren't they?"

But Zero chose not to answer, allowing his mind to drift. The "ball" would be arriving soon… Would she be happy to see him, or would she be forced to remain pinned to Kuran's arm, unable to do more than glance his way? And how much had she changed since he had last seen her? Even in the months at school, the changes wrought in her had been so great. From human to vampire, every part of her had been altered in some way.

All the same…

_Kuran, Yuuki._

His mouth pulled into a sneer. _Kuran_, Yuuki. _Kuran_. And that was the sum of it all. Kuran. She was Kuran and Kuran's, and there was no way that she could ever return to him, smiling with that oblivious, carefree purity. He had been such a fool to send that note to her. It wouldn't change anything. No, the changes had already been made.

The mere thought of her made his throat constrict, dry and painful. A thousand images sprung through his brain, and a thousand broken sentences, hidden beneath his mattress. Soon, he promised himself. Soon, even if it was Kuran, he would be able to breathe her in again, look at her perfect face. Would those wide brown eyes still hold the same warmth when they gazed at him?

He fumbled for the blood tablets.

* * *

AN: Forgive me and review?


	16. Chapter 16

AN: And then several years later, a new chapter pops up! O_O Say what?! I know, I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I wrote. I could tell you how crazy busy my life was but I'm not really going to try to make excuses because I already feel terrible. I'm working hard to finish this FF though (very very quickly) and to write others. Now that I'm out of university, I have much more time, and lately I've gotten back into the VK fandom, so I'm looking forward to writing with the loveable cast some more. Any new FF that I write, I think I will try to finish them before uploading, because wait times are evil. Maybe I'll do weekly chapter uploads or something.

I am truly, truly sorry to leave everyone hanging. I promise to finish. I already have a few chapters sorta written and some notes, so don't fear. It will be done.

Disclaimer: I do not own VK.

* * *

"A ball!" Yuuki exclaimed, eyes lighting up with childish delight.

Kaname's mouth creased into a faintly amused smile, "This is not a ball for our pleasure, Yuuki. You will be expected to demonstrate perfect behavior as not only a pureblood vampire, but also as my fiancé."

She puffed out her cheeks, eyes staring up at the other innocently, "But it seems like fun… I'll get to meet with everyone and go outside for a while."

"Which reminds me…," he regarded her coolly for a moment, then stated, "From the moment you step foot out of this door, you will be under constant scrutiny. So, I've asked Luca to instruct you. Think of these as princess lessons."

"Princess lessons?" Yuuki hesitated, caught between excitement and horror.

"Yes," Luca replied primly, choosing this moment to enter the room. "Every day after lunch, I'll teach you to act as a pureblood princess should."

Yuki held back a groan, trying not to imagine the horrors of yet another set of lessons taught by a pretentious noble vampire. One was bad enough, but two?! And when the second one happened to have held her in disdain for years because she was competing for Kaname-sama's attention and affections… The thought made her inwardly cringe. Given that Yuuki had now _officially _stolen away Luca's beloved Kaname-sama via the all-too-obvious engagement ring wrapped around her finger, there was little doubt that Luca would be sure to exact revenge in whatever ways she could.

"I have faith in your abilities," Kaname smiled vaguely at Luca, who stood a little straighter at this praise, eyes gleaming proudly.

"Thank you, Kaname-sama. I will see to it that Yuuki's performance at the ball doesn't disappoint you," the blonde gave a slight bow.

Kaname nodded, then turned to Yuuki. "Good luck. I'm sure you'll be stunning." He kissed her gently on the lips and excused himself politely, leaving the two women alone.

Yuuki shot a sidelong glance at the other vampire, half expecting to be greeted with a vicious glare. Instead, however, Luca's face was impassive as she surveyed her rival. After a moment, she said only, "I believe we shall begin with your entrance. I will descend from the stairs, so watch me carefully. I expect you to replicate what I do exactly."

For once, Yuuki would have preferred to spend the afternoon trudging her way through Aidou-senpai's lessons.

* * *

"_I need you to act as a messenger. Please visit everyone on this list of addresses and make formal greetings from myself and my bride-to-be. Enjoin them to come to the ball, and assure them that I'll be happy to speak with them once there. I don't want to risk offending anyone, especially with Yuuki there. She will be an easy target for anyone with a grudge," Kaname explained, handing a small packet of paperwork across the desk to Aidou._

For the first time in his life, Aidou was furious with Kaname Kuran. His teeth ground together, steps punctuating his dark mood. Why was he always the one stuck running the trivial errands? He was so much better than that, and yet once menial labor had to be done, who did Kaname go to? It was infuriating. Okay, so maybe it was necessary, but someone else could have done it just as easily. And sure, the ball had the potential for so much more disaster this way but… But he wanted to spend the evening with Yori. He ran a hand through his hair in irritation. One simple human girl had reduced him to this. He should have hated her for it, but instead… Instead, by doing so, she had stripped him of all of his potential bitterness and resentment towards this fact.

At the very least, due to his superior intelligence, he had devised a plan of study for Yuuki that was nearly impossible for her to fail. Not to mention, he _might _have made the test a tad easier than usual, but still. So, despite the fact that he had to quickly drop off the letter and leave, he was at least seeing Yori a week before he usually did. Not to mention, there would be the next letter, too. Two weeks seemed agonizingly long, but logically speaking, it was not an especially large span of time.

Following the usual pattern, he knocked on Yori's dorm door, already anticipating the moment that she would open the door and smile at him. The moment when all of his anger, all of the pent up emotions he'd been harboring this past week, would be bleached away by the color of her persona. All of the insufferable thirst and the undeniable longing to see her would instantly become nothing more than the remembrance of the wind in the grass—something intangible that left no mark of its passage.

Still, he felt unsure, heart pounding heavily in his chest. When they'd last parted he'd…he touched his lips briefly at the memory. How would she respond to his action? What if she was angry? Or even worse, what if she specifically asked him to never do it again? His brow furrowed in preoccupation. It wasn't like him to be nervous about anything, but Yori rendered him helpless to previously alien emotions and thoughts.

The door drew his attention, slowly opening without its usual enthusiasm, and he felt his heart sink as he heard the murmured words, "Sorry, I was in the middle of-" The words fell off, reeling away as the surprise on her face knocked them out of her mouth. "Aidou-kun!" she exclaimed, clearly not expecting him, yet her expression instantly changed to something both warm and happy.

How could he forget? She wouldn't have been expecting him at this time. Not until next week, when the usual letter delivery occurred. "Yuuki had a short lesson this week," he explained, stepping inside.

There was a moment of exchanged glances and the shuffling of his feet as he shut the door, the awkwardness of the past letter exchange flitting past. Their eyes rose, clashed, fled, and then returned, embarrassed but determined to move past the memory.

"And she still did well? She's trying so hard," Yori took the letter he offered to her, moving so that he would have room to walk past.

"Well, the subject was art," he admitted with slight abashment.

She laughed, "No wonder."

His legs felt like lead. He wanted to continue the normal pattern, to sit on that unused bed and watch her as she read the letter, absorb each of her expressions and attempt to draw out new ones. Her eyes were so bright, now, sparkling in the lamplight at the thought of another letter, another visit. He wondered what her eyes looked like when he wasn't there, when the loneliness crept in and skulked in the corners. How could he tell her that she would have to wait even longer before she could have another chance to talk with someone?

She looked at him with a slight question in her eyes, and he knew she was wondering why he didn't sit down like always. He took a slight breath, inhaling the blend of scents that was uniquely hers, voice very quiet as he said, "I can't stay…tonight…"

She blinked, eyes flickering so quickly that he nearly missed it. "Oh," she answered, that single word holding a thousand sentences of meaning.

"I'm sorry, truly," he whispered. "I can't refuse a request from Kaname-sama."

Her eyes faced his, deep and remorseful, but also understanding. She smiled, "It's okay. I can't expect you to stay every time. What about the return letter to Yuuki, though?"

"I'll have to take it next time," his shoulders sank a little at the thought.

"Alright, then…"

"Yeah," he responded, rooted in place.

He didn't want to leave, not when he had only been there for a scant moment. But the tasks entrusted to him pressed in, increasing their pressure with every breath, and he knew he had to go. Still, he could not move, tangled by her scent and the depth of her eyes. The room was autumn and lavender, tinged with brown, and it would be like leaving the atmosphere to leave the room, to leave the oxygen he required to breathe.

Steadying himself, he forced himself to form the dreaded words. "Goodbye," he murmured, touching her cheek very softly. Her skin was soft, causing his fingertips to flower with warmth, and before she had a chance to respond, he was already out the door and down the hall. If he prolonged his departure for even a moment longer, who knew what he would do.

Outside, Aidou felt his willpower collapsing, and leaned against the wall of the dorm building, breaths coming sharp and painful to his lungs. The air was black with the memory of her scent, clogging his senses. His throat burned, burned for her, his veins felt dry and papery under his skin. Trembling, fangs cutting against his skin, he was overwhelmed by her presence, by her subtle and gentle scent. With a ragged gasp, he pushed away, fighting back the hunger that would never give him respite.

"Shit," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

His fingers convulsed around the empty blood package in his jacket pocket.

"Just _shit_."

* * *

The door clicked shut behind Aidou with a soft sound that sent a brief twinge of pain rushing across her chest. For a moment, the room was utterly empty, completely barren in a way that it hadn't been before. There was just her, just her and the silence, now that Yuuki was gone. It had been that way for months now, and would continue to be that way for the rest of the school year, but she had never thought that she could feel loneliness so tangibly, so acutely... It had never bothered her before. But suddenly, with the click of that door, she felt the loneliness dig its claws in underneath her skin.

She took a breath, steadying herself. She still had a letter. She still could hear from Yuuki, even if she was unable to respond yet. She wasn't completely alone or cut off. And she hoped that within another week or two Aidou would return with another letter.

As she moved to sit on her bed and read the letter, her hand became distracted, touching her cheek as if to try and find some residual warmth there from his touch. She could still feel the lingering pressure of his fingers against her cheek. His touch was gentle, and warm… Completely at odds with what she would have expected from him, before she knew him.

Shaking herself mentally, she allowed herself to become engrossed in the letter. The words moved before her eyes, painting a picture of the days Yuuki was spending, so far away from her in that unknown place. Towards the end of the letter, her eyes found the response to the question that had been plaguing her. She hadn't felt confident about asking Yuuki in the first place. She feared she might already know the answer. Yet, she had asked despite herself. She wanted to confide in her closest friend, even if she was unsure of how Yuuki would respond once she knew who Yori was referring to.

_When you can't stop thinking about somebody like that…the way I can't stop thinking about Zero or Kaname-sama…isn't that love? Aidou keeps saying he's going to give me a vocab test—maybe I need one! But, it sounds like you're in love. Have you actually found someone you like?! Who is it? Do I know him? You have to tell me all about it! _

Yori stopped reading. The letter continued for half a page longer, but she could no longer process the words written there. Her heart was beating faster than normal, despite her immediate reaction to dismiss the words. Did Yuuki know what she was suggesting? Love? She barely knew him. At best it was just a crush. A little one. Inconsequential. She was just lonely. Yuuki always blew things out of proportion.

And yet… Her fingers touched her cheek, her forehead. They quivered slightly, afraid of the implications that Yuuki's words had planted. She couldn't be _actually_ falling for the infamous "Idol-senpai." It was a trap every single Day Class girl had fallen into, with only two exceptions: herself and Yuuki. She wasn't about to let Yuuki take sole ownership of that claim. She was determined that she was not going to become infatuated with the most arrogant, vain member of the Night Class.

But she knew that wasn't really fair. Or even true. Now that she knew him better she could see the person he was beneath that. In fact, his more irritating traits hadn't really come out at all the last time he'd visited. Instead, he'd been…sweet, charming, clever…

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling light-headed. Absolutely not. This wasn't happening to her. She wasn't falling for him. But, if she was telling the truth…she had never felt this way towards anyone before.

The room was shrinking a little in the empty silence that buzzed discordantly in her ears. She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to look up and see him sitting on the other bed, quietly watching her and waiting for her to finish.

The words were a whisper, but even that whisper seemed frightening loud to her ears. It was too much like a confession.

"Come back…"

* * *

A/N: I know it's been forever, but…review? :D


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Thank you all so much for you reviews! I was very surprised to get any, to be honest, since I couldn't update the story for so long, but I'm so touched and happy and I don't know what to say… I love you all T^T.

Don't worry about Zeki. Also, don't worry, for the story will be finished. I have made a commitment to it and I won't stop until it's done 3.

Annnnd, as a bit of advertisement, I just edited a brand new Aidori AMV! Rukain is in the works and possibly Zeki/Shima/something random. :D

Watch it by pasting this link onto the end of the standard YT address, which FF won't let me post for some reason O_o.

/watch?v=DnV6hAPYMkA

Disclaimer: I do not own VK, but let's pretend I do because it's better this way. –cough-

* * *

Zero curled into himself a little tighter, fingers digging into the hay beneath him and feeling the sharp sting of it as it reciprocated his touch with equal pressure. He exhaled heavily, throat dry and tight. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with, and one from which there was no respite. Beside him, he felt his favorite horse Lilly shift, tossing her head as a fly buzzed past. The other horses in the stable were nothing more than faded background noise that he heard as nothing more than distant static. Here, now, he was focused on nothing other than the two syllables that had been haunting him for what seemed his entire life.

Kuran.

That name, those syllables, had single-handedly destroyed every possible foundation of happiness. His family. His humanity. His…

He hissed, breathing in sharply as his lungs contracted. He couldn't think the word that made his heart twist grotesquely in his chest. He buried his face deeper in the hay, inhaling the familiar scents there. There was no trace of any other smell here, no reminder of all that he had lost. All that he didn't dare hope to regain, even when it reached out tantalizingly towards him with papery, inked fingers sealed with a single piece of translucent tape.

He hated himself for reading the letters, and hated himself more for responding. Why couldn't he let her go? There couldn't be anything left of the carefree, compassionate girl he had built his whole world around. There shouldn't be, now that she had been infected with those malevolent syllables. Yet, contained within those letters, he had read nothing more and nothing less than that very same carefree, compassionate girl. The only difference apparent in those letters was that now she was no longer free and no longer by his side. Instead, she had been shut deep inside a cage of Kuran blood.

The hiss deepened into a quiet snarl. He hated it. He despised Kaname Kuran and all that he had torn apart by the simple fact of his existence. More than anything, he abhorred the thought of Kaname Kuran touching that small form that buzzed with energy and electric smiles. He abhorred the thought of Kaname Kuran drinking in the sweet, pure flavor of that blood and tasting Zero's own memories.

Lying in the hay, he could feel his body shake with rage and hunger. He wanted to murder the emotions that chained him to the past. He longed for the hunt, the release of all his anger and sorrow. Hunting Level E vampires at night could never fill the hollow void that had clawed its way through his chest, but it could at least temporarily satiate the animal violence that surged through him in her absence.

He already knew, however, that it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Nothing would be enough unless _she_ returned, human and whole, to fill all the holes that had cracked open in his soul.

"Not enough…" He shuddered, throat heaving with a spasm of sudden pain.

"Zero-kun?" came a hesitant, soft voice. Moments later, he recognized the scent. Wakaba.

He took a breath, clamping down on the burning turmoil within. What was she doing here? For a moment, intense fury swept over him. Was there no place at Cross Academy where he could be left alone? Within another moment, however, the intensity settled down to a frustrated simmer.

He sat up slowly. "Wakaba?"

"Sorry for bothering you right when you were skipping class." He didn't miss her dry sarcasm. "The Chairman was looking for you. Please be nice and go see him soon, okay? That was it, so…" She shrugged and turned to go.

"What about you, Wakaba?"

What would Sayori Wakaba think if she saw her friend now? Did she know how deep the Kuran stain ran? The carefree girl they both had known and cared for was now immersed in a chasm of sin that had begun centuries ago. She was born from that sin, and had chosen to return to it. It was woven into her flesh, blood, and bone: inhuman and inescapable.

"Me?" She looked at him with mild confusion. "No, he just wanted to talk to you. I'm nothing more than the messenger."

"Yeah, I know, but…"

He shook his head slightly, fighting down the chaos of his mind. Wouldn't the Chairman tell Wakaba that Yuuki would be here, within a few mere miles, all too soon? The thought sent him momentarily spiraling down into a tunnel of dark hatred and crimson thirst. She was coming… Coming… He braced himself against the wood of the stable. He had to stay focused.

"Zero-kun… Is something going to happen sometime soon?" he heard her ask.

He had to give Wakaba credit. She was oddly observant. He stood, glaring at her with a brusqueness that indicated their conversation was over.

"What?" he demanded with evident hostility. Beneath his glower, he thought the words angrily at her: _Leave me alone._

She sighed. "Never mind, you can tell me later." She reached into her pocket and tossed a white shape down by his feet. He watched it arc across the floor, striking the floor an inch away from his shoe. It took enormous willpower not to flinch away from that rectangle as if it was a tiny flame of hellfire. "Also, this arrived for you. It's not nice to litter, so you should pick it up."

His eyes narrowed. He had already read the words before. Held that small shape in his hand and breathed in the agonizing scent. The familiarity of the handwriting had been like a knife slicing through him, because it and everything it represented was a gross specter of the object of his adoration. The only girl he'd ever…

Again, he choked at the mere thought of the word.

He eyes clawed upwards from the sinister black of his mind. "I don't want it."

"Because she's a demon, right?" Yori raised an eyebrow, her mouth twisting downwards in clear disagreement.

He scowled, "You don't know…"

"I don't know what?" She folded her arms. "I, for one, don't think Yuuki has changed much. She's still Yuuki. I'm not going to stop being her friend just because her diet has changed."

"You say that because you knew her before," his tone was a warning. "But vampires-"

"Vampires," she interrupted, tone matching his in strictness, "are no different. At least, not in the ways that count. Ai-" She cut herself off for a moment, eyes widening slightly. His heightened senses caught the brief increase in her heart rate, but it only lasted the barest of seconds. In another beat, she had recovered and continued, "I really think you should give her a chance. Besides, Zero-kun, is she really any different from you?"

"I don't need a lecture." His words were clipped, quick and heavily punctuated as he held back the force of his ire.

"Alright, if you have it all figured out, then. Bye." She began to leave this time, but paused at the entrance to say, "Oh, and Zero-kun, the other horses are scared of you. Try to tone down that glare of yours at least a little bit, okay?" With that, she promptly made her exit.

He glared after her for a long moment, feeling his irritation flare up and then recede again to a dull whirring in the back of his head. The envelope on the ground stared up at him expectantly. He glared at it, too. Then at Lilly. The horse snorted, pawing at the ground.

"What?" he snapped.

The horse made a sound suspiciously like an exasperated sigh.

He glanced back down at the envelope. "A vampire and a human are not the same." After a moment, however, he looked at the horse, eyes shadowed with doubt. "What do you think?"

Lilly nudged his shoulder, responding to the softer tone of his voice, and he couldn't help but relax a little, leaning his head against hers for a moment before leaning down to collect the square of paper. He quickly stuffed it into his pocket, trying to ignore the wide, attentive gaze of the horse.

"It isn't good to litter," he muttered under his breath by way of explanation.

The horse continued to watch him as he strode away. His fingers never left his pocket, where they remained cradling the envelope within.

* * *

AN: It is, however, good to litter as long as they're reviews. :D –hinthint- -winkwink- -nudgenudge-

Also if any of y'all are VK authors, link me up to your stories. I probably won't read them until I complete this story because, even though I have the story mapped out already, I don't want to be influenced even a tiny bit. However, once the story is done, I want to read FF like crazy so I need some good ones, and especially ones by anyone who has left a review 3. I want to return the favor at some point! :3


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Oh it is so rushed…. Moving to Spain has made my schedule hectic but as you can see, still writing! Next chapter will be better, I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own VK.

* * *

Yori shook her head as she made her way towards the Chairman's office. What exactly were the 'Secrets of the Most Secretest Waltz of Cross Academy' and why in the world would Kiryuu-kun respond to that when he hadn't bothered to show up after the Chairman had summoned him the first time? It didn't really matter to her, but she wasn't sure she would agree to be messenger for a third time, when Kiryuu-kun clearly had no intention of visiting his adoptive father.

Still, she had to tell the Chairman that she had delivered his message and Kiryuu-kun had acknowledged its existence. Which, albeit, was more than he usually did for Yuuki's letters. She sighed. If only he would properly respond to her letters, instead of sending her a scrap of paper.

As she reached the closed office door, she paused, lost in thought. If only she could see Yuuki in person… Hear her voice again… She didn't know why, but she had been carrying around her return letter for Yuuki ever since Aidou had dropped off Yuki's letter. It was almost like having direct link to Yuuki while she sat in class, even if it was only a tenuous paper connection.

She shook off her momentary loneliness sharply and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the Chairman sang from the other side.

Pushing open the door and stepping inside, Yori saw that someone else was also visiting the Chairman, who was tucking a nondescript envelope away in one of his desk drawers.

"I delivered the message," she reported as she stepped inside.

As she spoke, the other person in the room turned towards her, and she took in the black trench coat, the thick hat, the sunglasses…the scarf she had knit herself… Her eyes widened as her chest seized up with sudden tightness.

He didn't say a word, but the recognition passed palpably between them.

The Chairman was clearly oblivious to this exchange and chattered at Yori happily, "Thank you for delivering my message. This time I don't think he'll be able to resist. Secrets are just so much fun! Especially secrety father-son ones!" He winked.

"It's no trouble," Yori smiled, though she wasn't particularly interested in delivering yet another message. Was this how Aidou had felt at first? Perhaps his initial attitude wasn't that hard to fathom after all.

"And I believe that's all from me for now, as well," Aidou said, voice muffled by the scarf.

"Yes, thank you both. Now I must await my adorable son!"

Yori gave a slight bow to both the Chairman and Aidou, keeping her expression smooth and composed so as not to alert the Chairman that she was familiar with his guest. Then she stepped out, heart racing with the unexpected visit. A moment later, Aidou had exited the office as well, closing the door behind him with a soft but resounding click.

In the hallway under the fluorescent lights, Aidou's outfit looked particularly silly. The combination of clothing items, including black trench coat and sunglasses, made him look like he either had a terrible hangover or was extremely suspicious. She muffled a giggle.

"What?" he asked, readjusting his coat.

"Nothing," she answered serenely.

His voice took on a distrustful tone. "What?"

Her reply came evenly, without a trace of the laughter she felt, "You look ridiculous." _And cute…_ If she were being honest with herself, it was kind of refreshing to see him looking so out of place without his designer clothes.

"Don't even get me started!" he exclaimed in discomfort as he shifted his coat, his hat, the scarf, in a doomed attempt at normalcy. "It's just a disguise! So I'm not seen!"

"Did you lose a bet?" she continued ruthlessly.

"No. I hate this," he muttered irritably, adjusting his clothing with evident frustration. "Everything is dim, it's stuffy in this coat, and I have hat hair." He heaved an exasperated sigh, falling back against the wall not unlike a few five-year-olds she'd seen.

Yori held back another smile of amusement, clearing her throat slightly to hide the urge to laugh. "It's winter, it's bright outside, and no one can recognize you. It can't be that bad."

She could scarcely detect his glare from behind the sunglasses. "Hat hair." He repeated, expression glum.

"I don't know, it could be a new look for you. Maybe you're onto something." She grinned, then reached towards the hat suddenly. "Let me see."

"What? No!" he clamped a hand down on the hat, sliding adeptly beyond reach in the blink of an eye. "It would ruin my image."

"Oh, please. Just let me see. It might be cute." She made a grab at the hat again, but Aidou danced out of reach once more, arms locked down over his head. Giggling a little despite herself, she shook her head, eyes sparkling with laughter.

"No way! I'm in disguise, remember? What if someone saw me?" He latched onto this defense desperately.

"There's no one here," she gestured around the empty hallway.

"There could be at any minute."

"You'd smell them," she pointed out.

His mouth creased down into a full-on pout, "I'm not taking off the hat."

She rolled her eyes, folding her arms and commenting wryly, "I'm sure your fans would still find you attractive with hat hair."

"Ha. They-" he broke off. There was a pause, and then one corner of his mouth stretched upwards into that devilish grin that sent warning bells ringing through her mind. She squinted at him, suddenly wary, as he took a step forward, leaning closer to her.

"So you _do _find me attractive after all?" His eyes held a predatory glint.

She rolled her eyes. "I never said I was attracted to you."

"You're not answering the question," he smirked.

Her lips pressed together in a thin line. She was not going to respond to his flirtation. Besides, she could not possibly be attracted to such a flagrant womanizer.

He was quiet for a moment. He took a breath. Then, "Sorry."

Her eyes widened a little. Was this really Hanabusa Aidou? Was he actually apologizing for…well, being himself?

He smiled ruefully. "I couldn't help myself." There was a pause, and then he asked with mock sincerity, "Will you still be friends with me if I have hat hair?"

She laughed, and her irritation with his previous behavior shattered abruptly. "I don't know… I might get teased for having a friend with hat hair…" She pretended to think this over.

Aidou grinned, and seemed about to say something else, but instead stopped abruptly, eyes shooting towards the end of the hall, "Someone is coming. I don't want to cause you any trouble, and I certainly don't want there to be any suspicion if we're seen talking like this. We can't be seen together."

She nodded, suppressing sudden sadness at the news of Aidou's imminent departure. She understood that it was necessary, and she was trying to be patient, but lately it had been harder than usual to wait between visits. Not having Yuuki around was more difficult than she'd expected.

"I'll be back before you know it," he promised, as if sensing the onset of her melancholy.

"I know that," she replied quietly. She did know…but more and more often lately it seemed cold comfort to her.

She was about to say goodbye, but she suddenly remembered the letter she had been carrying with her, and slid it out of her jacket pocket. "Take this. I'm glad I kept it in my jacket. It's for Yuuki."

He blinked, "That was good luck." His eyes flicked again to the far corner of the hall. "I'd better get going before I'm discovered." He smiled wanly. "Until the next test."

"Bye. Be nice to Yuuki," she waved.

"I am always a perfect saint," he flashed her a brief grin, and then held up his hand, repeating "I'll be back soon." Then he was gone, vanished around the opposite corner of the hall.

Yori took a deep breath. The familiar feeling that had set upon her last time was back. He was walking away, away again for another two weeks. Possibly more if Yuuki failed her test. She didn't want that. She wanted him to come back, she wanted to go with him, she wanted Yuki back with her at the academy. All these things that she wanted just tangled together, leaving an empty spot in her heart.

Her hand twisted in her other sleeve, holding herself still. She was alright. She was practiced in loneliness, and she would survive as she always did. The selfishness she felt at this moment would fade.

She could hear footsteps approaching now, and in the last moment she had alone in the hall, the words popped back into her mind unbidden.

_So you do find me attractive after all?_

Her mind churned over the question._ Did_ she find him attractive? Obviously he was objectively handsome, but was she attracted _to _him? Did a little crush extend to that?

She let her eyes fall shut, picturing the face that was familiar now, instead of the face of the Night Class poster child. She pictured his eyes, eyes that she wasn't sure she could safely look into again. They were too blue, too mesmerizing. She remembered the gentleness of his touch and the soft pressure of his lips against her forehead. The quiet reverberation of his voice beside her ear… Her heart was compressing tighter. She couldn't let it be true. Sayori Wakaba was not attracted to womanizers.

Yuuki's words rushed through her head. _I__sn't that love?_

She felt her face grow warmer, heart clenching a little in her chest. She fought it back stubbornly. This couldn't be real. She wasn't attracted to him, and she certainly wasn't going to fall for him. At best, it was a little crush…

And yet… The faint flush in her face, that tremulous flutter in her heart… The remembrance of that smile that seemed to reach in and touch her heart physically… She felt slightly stricken. Just a little crush… She was desperately trying to convince herself of that, even when she already knew the truth.

She had fallen for Hanabusa Aidou.

* * *

A/N: #welcometothefanclubsayori


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I can't believe how many of you are still/now reading this. I really wish I was a better author to make this story better for you all. Thank you for being patient. Also, the chapter after this is pretty much done so expect it tomorrow if not the day after. 3 Chapters in 3 days wouldn't be too shabby, huh? :D

Disclaimer: Yes, yes, I don't own VK.

* * *

"Don't. Say. Anything." Aidou stomped through the room, tossing Yuuki the envelope which encased Yori's letter.

Yuuki turned her face away to hold back her laughter, though she could feel her lip twitching at the sight of Aidou in such a ridiculous disguise.

"I'm going to take a shower." Then, eyes clouded, "Is Kaname-sama here?"

"Of course," Yuuki replied, mouth stiff with effort to speak without bursting into laughter. "But he's been holed up who-knows-where for hours." She threw in the new phrase she'd learned to show that she did retain at least _some_ of what she learned.

"I see you made use of one of your vocabulary words. I knew some of the knowledge was holed up in your brain somewhere." He seemed to relax slightly, shoulders loosening. He removed the sunglasses, scarf, and coat, draping them over his arm, though he strangely did not remove his hat. She shook her head a little. After living with him for this long, she had found Hanabusa Aidou to be one of the strangest people she knew.

Seeing her expression, he came closer, whispering, "Take that someplace you won't be disturbed." His eyes were serious.

She nodded, suddenly feeling a little anxious herself. She slipped the envelope in her skirt pocket quickly. She couldn't really smell Yori's scent on him, but it was definitely on the envelope. She breathed in deeply, concentrating. Right now, Kaname's scent was subtle. He was still hidden away somewhere. However, that could change at any moment. The urgency she felt squeezed her like a vice. They both had to rid themselves of all incriminating evidence that could be traced back to Yori or the academy. It was more dangerous than ever for Yuuki to exchange letters with Yori now that Kaname was home.

Aidou was already hurrying up the stairs. For once, Yuuki felt a sudden surge of gratitude shoot through her. Aidou was putting himself at risk, too. Considering Kaname's presence, he shouldn't have risked it at all. However…

"Aidou-senpai," she called, voice barely a murmur and yet reaching his ears as clearly as if it were a shout. "Thank you."

His eyebrows flicked upwards slightly before he gave a brief nod and disappeared out of sight.

Yuuki glanced around rapidly. Right now, there was no one around, but she had to find a safe niche where no one would bother her. She giggled a little, and then scurried down the hall, ducking into her chosen room and latching the door shut. Even Kaname wouldn't bother her here...in the bathroom.

She settled herself on the edge of the tub, feeling a little silly but enjoying herself at the same time. It was a little like being in a spy movie.

Opening the letter, she breathed in the scent of the envelope before disintegrating it. Any trace of evidence would be more than enough to fully alert Kaname-sama to the letter exchange. And once he knew… She cringed. The thought made her shudder in trepidation.

No. That wouldn't happen. She was _not_ going to let Kaname-sama find out about this. And Aidou was certainly doing his best to keep it from happening, as well. Probably, it would be him who would receive the worst punishment, after all…

She shrugged off her thoughts and began to read. The wait for this letter had been longer than usual, but it was well worth it. She was excited to hear back from Yori, but more than that, excited to know just who it was that had captured Yori's attention. She bounced a little on her makeshift seat in anticipation.

Yori wrote, as usual, about life at the academy. She wrote about the Chairman's new herb garden project, the terrible cafeteria food over the past few days, and even Zero's umpteenth detention for falling asleep in class. She reported that Zero was as healthy and antisocial as ever, but when Yuuki shuffled through the papers hopefully, she could see that he hadn't sent her another note. She bit her lip to keep from feeling too disappointed and continued reading.

_So you're in love with both Kaname _and_ Zero-kun, Yuuki?_

The words leapt off the page into her eyes. Yuuki stared. What? When had she said that? Oh yeah… She'd mentioned that she thought all the time about both of them in her last letter… Her heart palpitated painfully. That was true… She thought of both of them often, perhaps even equally. But if it was completely true…then why was it that she was so terribly, painfully thirsty…? Why was it that her entire being gravitated towards that silver so far out of her reach…?

She bit her lip harder this time, focusing on the pages in front of her.

_Must be nice to fantasize about _two_ men. I thought you were engaged. Naughty, naughty, Yuuki. Engaged women shouldn't fantasize about other men._

What?! Yuuki flushed hotly, glaring at the paper.

"I am _NOT!_" she whispered at the letter, face temperature increasingly rising by several degrees at a time.

She was _not_ fantasizing about Kaname and Zero. Not. At all. She folded her arms, glaring accusingly at the paper. She had said 'thinking', not 'fantasizing!' There was a huge difference there! Besides, she was engaged after all. She should not be thinking about Zero like that. She definitely wasn't. Nope.

Yuuki giggled suddenly, heart contracting a little afterwards. She missed Yori. She missed her sarcasm and her teasing and…everything. Her lips folded downward. She just wanted to go outside again, to taste the sunlight and feel the birdsong and see her friend again. See Zero again. See her adoptive father again. She could almost hear Yori beside her, teasing her in that familiar tone about the attachment she couldn't seem to break with Zero.

_Must be nice to fantasize about _two _men._

"The more the merrier," she stuck out her tongue at the letter.

Then, "Wait. Who are _you_ fantasizing about, Yori?!" She seized the letter, scanning rapidly for the answer to her question. At last, she found the reference to her question. At least, as close as she was going to get.

_I didn't say anything about asking for myself, Yuuki. Don't jump to conclusions. When was the last time I liked anyone?_

"Liar, liar, pants on _fire_, Sayori Wakaba," Yuuki squinted at the lines of ink in frustration, as if they would somehow feel guilty and rearrange themselves into the proper answer that she wanted. It was a typically evasive Yori-response. She knew her friend well enough to know that much! And if Yori wasn't going to tell her easily, Yuuki would drag the answer out somehow!

She finished the letter, and disposed of it directly after, sniffing the air to make sure there was no trace of Yori's scent in it. When she found none, she breathed a small sigh of relief. Kaname wouldn't know about this letter. She also would not write her reply until the day of the next test Aidou gave her. The less time the letter existed, the less opportunity for Kaname to find it.

For a moment, she remained in the bathroom, thinking over the letter. Was that really the case? Was she really fantasizing about Kaname _and _Zero, even while she was engaged? Certainly she thought of both of them. She loved them both. But to say that…

Her throat closed abruptly, dry and rough with thirst. Her fingers clenched on the rim of the tub beside her. No, no, she couldn't let this happen. She was engaged to Kaname now. She shouldn't thirst for anyone else.

But she could still see him. Silver in her vision, silver in her heart. Violet eyes tinged with silver, tinged with a powerful thirst of his own. For her. For her blood, just as she was drawn to his. Kaname's blood could never sate her, not while she was like this. What she wanted… What she needed…was to drink in that silver until it flooded through all her veins, until her heart was engorged with it.

She inhaled shakily. Her throat and chest felt tight. It was harder to breathe. She longed for the one person's blood she could not have. She would never have. The thought sent a new spasm shooting through her, and she coughed a little, sucking in air desperately.

_Zero… _

Her eyes stung bitterly. It was her fault that he was beyond her reach. Her fault that his rough but gentle presence would never again be by her side. Her body was trembling. She wanted to see him again, just to know that he was really okay. To look into those eyes again, or touch his cheek, or… She wanted all of him. She wanted to taste that silver blood.

_Zero, are you hurting now? Are you happy? _

She blinked dizzily. Somehow, she had stumbled out of the bathroom without realizing it. Her thirst was blurring her consciousness, searching for something it would never find. Searching for silver in a world of deep, bleeding crimson.

"Hey, you!" she heard a sudden shout. "What are you doing getting hurt and wandering around randomly?! Do you have any idea who Kaname-sama will be angry with if he finds out?!"

She turned around in confusion. Where was she? These halls weren't familiar. They were dark, foreboding. Some malevolent presence clung to the stone. She had no memory of coming here.

"What _are_ you doing, really?" The question was concerned this time.

"This door…" She trailed off forgetfully, eyes vague against the door at the end of the hall. "I thought I smelled the scent of Kaname-oniisama coming from here, so I…" She frowned. So she, what? She couldn't remember. Her mind had been so full of her thirst for Zero that she hadn't been fully conscious of her actions.

"Actually, now that you mention it, what _is_ this place?" Aidou looked around curiously. "I don't remember hearing about a place like this in the house before."

"Yeah, I didn't know of it either. I was just very sensitive a moment ago, so I randomly found the entry by scent."

"Huh… You've got blood on you."

"Ah…" She smelled it, now. There, on her chin. She wiped it off hastily.

"You… No way. Don't tell me you actually bit yourself? Did you think you could actually feed off yourself?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "There's blood on your sleeve, now. What are you, a moron?! I'm teaching a moron!" He smacked his forehead with the butt of his palm in exasperation.

She flushed a little in embarrassment. "I was just too hungry so I wasn't thinking much, and…I just went _chomp_." That was right. She could remember now, fuzzily, in her desperate hunger for Zero… "I kind of did it out of curiosity, but… It's pretty pointless for the nutrition. And it hurt like WHOA, too." She laughed a little at herself. Really, she hadn't been thinking at all.

"You…you're getting blood from Kaname-sama though, aren't you?"

"I do, in a rather spoiled manner, but… He's pampered me because I couldn't use my fangs."

"Then why are you thirsty?" he demanded suddenly. His eyes were piercing. Staring right through her. For a moment of utter fear, she thought he was staring straight into the hidden recesses of her mind, where all of her hidden desires huddled together. It was as if he knew that the bloodlust she felt, even now, wasn't for Kaname at all…

Fearful, she responded quickly to deflect suspicion from herself. Her eyes darted to the package of blood tablets sticking out of his pocket. They seemed to have been hastily stuffed inside. "I could ask you the same thing. Why _are_ you so thirsty lately, Aidou-senpai?"

He blinked, clearly not expecting this. "I…" For a moment, he seemed lost for an answer. Then he straightened. "That's none of your business." His tone changed a third time, quieter now. "Ah, well, for now, just go ahead and take these while you wait." He held out the package of tablets.

She hesitated. Would Kaname-sama be mad if she took them? Purebloods really shouldn't require such means to feed, but then again, every other vampire took them. Aidou certainly did, though she knew how bad they tasted from his complaints.

"Please don't give those tablets to Yuuki." The voice was deep, dripping with disdain. Yuuki flinched a little.

"Kaname-sama-!" he exclaimed. Yuuki could feel his horror. He seemed on the verge of a long apology.

"Thank you, Aidou," Kaname cut him off before he could begin. "But it's okay now, you can leave us."

"Yes, Kaname-sama," he bowed formally.

Kaname's polished shoes clicked across the floor as he moved to engulf Yuuki in his arms. In that embrace, she felt like she was slowly being strangled. Over his shoulder, Yuuki saw Aidou turn his head slightly, eyes flickering against hers for the briefest of instants, and the fear sprung through her once again. It seemed as though he really could see, that he already knew the terrible truth. She was thirsting for Zero, and it was a thirst that could never be abated as long as she remained in the Kuran manor. Or, perhaps, ever.

As she moved heavily to return the embrace, and as Aidou left the passage, the thought jolted through her: _Who are you thirsting for, Aidou-senpai, that you know what I'm feeling? _

"What a silly thing to do, biting yourself," Kaname's voice broke through her thoughts like poison. He took a step back, releasing her except for her hands. "But, at any rate, it seems you have remembered how to use your fangs."

"I did," she murmured, refusing to meet his eyes . _I did because I couldn't control myself. Because I was thirsting for someone else…_

He pulled her hand up to his mouth, kissing her wrist gently. His eyes smoldered against hers like burning coals. They burned, and yet she couldn't pull away. She knew what he wanted before he said it.

Somehow, the scent of his blood was making her sick. Her body was rejecting it. She didn't want it. She was too infused with red. She wanted silver, craved for silver. Her body longed to balance out the overdose of Kaname's scarlet tint.

"You must be thirsting for my blood, aren't you?" his voice was low, seductive, toxic. She shuddered, feeling a little nauseous. "If you are, then please, take only my blood to prey upon."

She took a breath. This was the life she had chosen. She had to face that. Slowly, the nausea she felt faded to a dull, insistent ache in the background. For now, she was simply thirsty. And for now, Kaname-sama, the man she had promised her life to, was offering her his blood.

"Just as you thirst for mine, my onii-sama? So strong and so beautiful…" she murmured as he knelt before her, offering her his neck. "How is it possible that you are mine?"

Her fangs sank into his flesh just as the fangs of her deceits sank into her heart. But what else could she do? There was no choice. She loved Kaname, too. She loved them both.

* * *

"Good afternoon, Zero-kun," Yori greeted him pleasantly as she passed him by on the path to the dorms.

He glowered at her. Then, "What, you're not going to throw paper at me today?"

"Not today. Have a good day, Zero-kun," she smiled.

"Just a moment, Wakaba-san."

"Yes?" she paused, a little hopeful that he might have something for Yuuki.

"Not that it's my business, and I don't really want to know, but whenever you get those letters you stink."

"I stink?" she raised an eyebrow, incredulous.

His nose furled and he gritted his teeth a little. "With the smell of _that_ one…"

"I really don't know what you're talking about, Zero-kun. I don't think insulting me is necessary, is it? Goodbye."

"Aidou," he practically spit the name out, mouth rejecting the word. She stopped, holding her breath. He couldn't know. He wasn't supposed to know. "Tell him to stay the hell off my campus."

Her eyebrows shot up another two stories and she turned to face him. "I'm afraid, Zero-kun, that it's not _your_ campus. Anyone can come and go as they please. That includes former classmates, be they human or otherwise."

"Whatever. I don't care which…means…she's using to communicate with you. But if I see him, he's dead."

"For heaven's sake," she rolled her eyes. "You'll do no such thing. Think of how sad Yuuki would be if she couldn't send you more letters."

"Hell if I care."

"Goodbye," she repeated firmly, and continued walking.

Once back in her dorm room with the door securely shut, she took a moment to breathe deeply, despite the fact that it had been a long time since Aidou had last visited her here. Her room smelled just like always. Zero might be able to smell the traces of Aidou's scent on her from time to time, but she certainly couldn't. The thought made her feel a little lonely.

* * *

"Yuuki…" Kaname's eyes were shadowed as he stared into her own, demanding. "What are you hiding from me?" He licked his lip, wiping away the trace of her blood from where he had bitten her in return.

She could have cried from anxiety and relief. He knew she was keeping secrets from him, but not what those secrets were. He didn't know about Yori or Zero. But he did know that something was wrong. She wasn't out of the danger zone yet.

"Nothing, I…"

"Yuuki…" His fingers dug into her arms like claws.

She mastered herself, looking into his eyes with fake sincerity, "Nothing to worry yourself with, Kaname-oniisama. I didn't want you to worry. I've just been anxious about being presented at the ball. And…" Her eyes flicked away, then back to his face nervously, "I didn't want to ask you, but I was wondering if I would be able to see Daddy again." She mentally crossed her fingers. Perhaps these princess lessons might have helped her to be a better actress, as they trained her how to keep her expression cool and impassive, despite what was said or done around her.

The shadow passed from his eyes. He smiled then, hugging her gently. "Don't trouble yourself about the ball, Yuuki. You'll do wonderfully. As for Chairman Cross…I'm not sure if the Hunter's Association is requiring his presence. But I'll see if something might be arranged."

"Thank you! Thank you, onii-sama!" Although it had been an attempt to deflect his suspicions, she was honestly delighted at the thought of seeing her adoptive father again. She missed him sorely, as well.

Yuuki kissed her brother's cheek gratefully. She had avoided the crisis this time, but next time she might not be so lucky. For once, she hoped that Kaname would have some other business to attend to for a while. She needed time to think.

* * *

A/N: My friend and beta-tester Sophie described VK in 2 words: Bloodlust feels. –Giggles- It's so appropriate. If you had to describe VK in 2 words, what would they be? :O


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: CAUTION! STOP! I just uploaded 3 chapters in a row. Make sure you're caught up before you read this one. =)

A/N 2: X3. Just sayin'. (You shall see 8D)

Disclaimer: Don't own VK.

* * *

Yuuki had never been so happy to be left alone. She danced around the room happily. Kaname was gone! At least, he was gone for a few days. She didn't have to hide the letter. More importantly, it wasn't an issue for Aidou to take her letter to Yori.

"Really? Really?" she asked, practically jumping up and down in excitement.

"Yes, yes, really. You've been working hard to be presentable at the ball. You at least deserve a little reward. So, I'll go ahead and deliver your letter now, while there's an opportunity. However, next time there will definitely be a test."

Yuuki spun around, "I could hug you right now!"

"Please, don't," he held up a hand, but he was smiling.

Yuuki passed him the letter eagerly. She could get her response from Yori right away! She had just received the last letter only a few days ago, and already Aidou was offering to bring her another.

_Yori-chan, just wait. I'll _make_ you tell me who it is you like_! She grinned victoriously.

"I keep telling you, I'm really the best teacher in the world. No one else would put up with you," he said melodramatically.

"Hurry back, okay?" she asked, ignoring his statement.

He glared. "I go on my own schedule," he replied airily.

She sighed. "Pretty please?"

"No!" he snapped. "I'm already doing you a favor, don't push it."

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever. But are you sure you'll be okay?" She frowned. She wasn't sure if Aidou was the best choice in letter courier, although he was also the only one. He seemed to be even worse lately. She could swear he'd been downing a few tablets every hour.

"It'll be fine. Don't worry. I won't eat your friend."

"If you do, I'll have Kaname slowly torture you for a hundred million years," she smiled innocently.

"Guess it's a good thing I won't live that long," he muttered. "Anyway, I'm going. Try to behave yourself, okay? If I come back and you've even stepped one foot in the front rooms…"

"Yes, yes, I know, I know. I'll be good. Pinky swear."

"That's okay… Just be sure you stay where you can't be seen by anyone passing by."

"Okie dokie."

"Okay. See you later," he grabbed his coat and hat off the rack and headed out.

This was definitely a good day. Yuuki raced upstairs, digging out her sketchpad and colored pencils. Since she had so much free time, she might as well do something enjoyable. Besides, it would help distract her from the continuous ache of her thirst.

* * *

"Aidou-kun?" Yori's expression was just short of shock.

"Well, you did say we were friends…" he put on a hurt expression.

"What are you doing here?" Just like Yuuki. Ignoring the question. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but…"

He held up the envelope. "Delivery."

"Already?" She looked pleased despite herself, and opened the door to let him in.

"Well…certain circumstances have made it easier to go ahead and bring you the next one now."

She waited a moment, but when she realized no further explanation was coming, she shrugged and moved to take the envelope.

"I see you reverted back to your old style," she gestured at his outfit.

He grinned. "The hat hair just wasn't doing it for me."

"That's a shame. I really think you could have built your entire image around it."

"Hat-Hair Senpai?"

She giggled, "See, it's perfect."

"I might consider trying it out if you'll admit you're attracted to me," he teased.

"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes and sat on the bed, opening the envelope.

"In that case, I guess I'll just have to stick with the style I've already got." He sat near to her this time, instead of on the opposite bed. "What a shame."

Yori shook her head, smiling. "You just don't want anyone to know that your hair doesn't always look like it does now."

"What do you mean? My hair always looks like this."

She chuckled. "Right."

"Anyway, how have you been?" he asked sincerely.

"Good," she answered, and with that began telling him much of what she told Yuuki in her letters. The events at the academy, classes, the weird and random actions of the Chairman. He couldn't really tell her about his own life at the mansion, but she understood and didn't seem to mind. Even if he couldn't respond in kind, he just liked listening to the sound of her voice and watching her face as it changed expressions.

It took her longer to read the letter than usual. Both of them kept getting distracted with their own conversations, and by the time she had reached the end of the letter it was already growing late. Once, she had flushed hard at whatever she read, but she didn't offer to explain, and he didn't ask.

"Are you sure it's okay?" she asked, glancing at the clock. "Do you need to head back?"

Yuuki's annoying plea for urgency passed through his brain briefly, but he could really care less. "No. I can wait as long as you need."

"Okay," she smiled, and began to write her reply. Aidou decided not to sidetrack her this time, and waited patiently.

Instead, he preoccupied himself with memorizing her features: the hint of bronze in her hair with the lamplight, the curve of her nose and lips, her thoughtful expression as she wrote. He watched the movement of her hand and listened to the sounds of the pencil, of her respiration, of her heart. Everything about her was soft, warm, and undeniably beautiful.

This short time together wasn't enough. He wanted to see her more, talk to her more, be closer than ever. He wanted to touch her… Wanted… The familiar ripple through his chest surfaced suddenly. Not now. Not right now. He must have taken a whole box of tablets throughout the day, just to be on the safe side.

But now that he was here with her, now that he could smell her and hear her pulse and feel the heat from her body radiating towards him… The thirst was returning, more sharply and insistently than ever before. Every day, it only grew stronger. No matter how many tablets he took, it was always there, a constant reminder of what his body craved so viciously. No amount of tablets could subdue the hunger he felt. It was a thirst that haunted even his dreams. He nearly choked on it as it shot through his throat.

_Shit._ No. This wasn't happening. _Control yourself, Hanabusa!_ He could not afford to lose control right now. He shut his eyes quickly. He could practically feel them losing out to the vampiric nature within him. His fingers gripped the edge of the bed. He had to find something else to think about. Anything. It was hard to concentrate. She was so close. He grit his teeth.

"Aidou-kun, what's wrong?" she stopped writing, staring up at him anxiously.

He kept his eyes shut, unmoving. She shouldn't see him like this. He didn't want her to have a bloodthirsty image of him locked into her head. He didn't want to give her any reason to fear him. It was just…her scent…

"What's wrong?" she repeated in obvious concern. She shifted closer, worried.

_No, don't do that_. He had to get away. If she moved any closer, he wasn't sure what he might do.

"Look at me," her voice brooked no argument. Still, he didn't want her to see him like this.

"No," he shook his head.

"Look at me," she insisted.

He took a breath. Yori was smart. If she knew what was wrong maybe she would know best how to give him a moment to collect his breath and ride out this wave of bloodlust. Although…he wasn't entirely sure he would ever be able to fully ride it out. Giving in to her request, he opened his eyes slowly. He could feel them blazing crimson through the room, reflecting bloody pools into her own eyes.

"It's best to keep away from me right now," he warned.

"You're thirsty…"

He took another breath, trying to steady himself. It didn't help that every time he did, her scent plunged into his lungs, spiking upwards into his throat with a thousand microscopic needles. "Yeah…"

"You didn't eat anything before you came? I have the crackers…" she offered uncertainly.

He laughed a little, humorlessly. "I ate, Yori-chan. If you can count those disgusting tablets as a meal. I eat them every day, but it doesn't seem to be helping…"

"And neither would the crackers," she finished, voice matter-of-fact.

He smiled wryly. He was a little glad that he didn't have to pretend they did, though he would have if it would have put her at ease. "Not really," he admitted. "But…the taste might be a distraction."

"Or make it worse," she pointed out. "If it tastes bad it might just make you want blood even more."

"It's possible," he laughed a little, feeling breathless. The air seemed to be leaving the room. His chest felt cramped, stiff and sore. He held back a spasm of pain. Still, talking to her like this was helping a little. Not enough to unclench his death grip from the bed, but a little.

"You don't drink blood normally?"

He forgot how little she knew about the world of vampires sometimes. He shook his head. "To do that requires a special relationship with someone. Usually it's family while you're young, maybe an occasional close friend. More often, though, it's between lovers. Blood drinking between vampires is…an intimate experience. Right now, I'm staying with Kaname-sama and Yuuki. Who am I going to take it from?" He gave her a cynical smile. "Besides, pureblood is forbidden unless explicitly offered, and creates a powerful bond…"

"Then…" She seemed to be thinking for a minute before she asked, "When was the last time you drank blood?"

He coughed out a laugh, throat too dry to laugh normally. It wasn't a question usually directed at him. However, he was well aware that Yori couldn't know the personal level of her question. "A while ago…" A long while ago. He shut his eyes again, wrestling to maintain his composure. Damn, he was thirsty. He couldn't stay here much longer. "Can we talk about something else? " Anything else. His focus was slipping, ears tuning in to the soft reverberation of her voice, senses honing in on the thrum of her blood flowing through her veins. That subtle autumn and lavender perfume was clouding his thoughts. The beat of her heart was making the space in the room rhythmic. It was surprisingly steady, given the current situation.

He shook himself mentally. He had a very tenuous grip on his control right now.

* * *

It seemed as though it had happened in an instant. One minute, Aidou was sitting quietly at the edge of the bed, and the next his eyes were shut and fingers tight on the edge of the bed. She felt alarmed, seeing the strain in his face and posture. His whole body was tense, knuckles white as he clamped down against the mattress. His eyebrows were pushed together sharply, teeth clenched and skin terrifyingly pale. He was trembling slightly, clearly fighting to stay where he was. She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling. All her mind was capable of registering was that he was in pain. Her heart twisted in her chest.

It only took a moment. The decision came to her easily, with frightening clarity. The realization of what she was about to do hadn't set in yet. Instead, she was filled only with cold logic. Taking a deep breath, she set down the paper and pencil, standing up. He opened his eyes to see what she was doing, and her heart wrenched further to see again the glowing scarlet his eyes had turned.

"Do you need a minute?" she offered, hating every word for the way it deceived him. Her heart was increasing its pace with her newfound resolve. She only prayed that he thought the acceleration of her heart was from fear of him instead of herself.

"That might help…" he agreed.

She nodded. "Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes, then."

He looked like he might say something, but merely gave a curt nod, eyes slamming shut again, frame taut. With light footsteps, she crossed the room, removing the key from the top of her dresser. She held the small metal object in her hand for a moment, feeling its weight on her palm. Although it was only imaginary, she felt it engraving itself into her skin. If she continued with this, there was no turning back.

She moved to the door.

Stepping through the doorway, Yori kept the door from shutting all the way as she locked it with her key. She hoped fervently that Aidou was too distracted by his thirst to really notice what she was doing. Then she slipped the key covertly into her sock and stepped back inside, shutting the door behind her with the seal of an unbreakable vow. She was literally and figuratively locked into her resolve now.

Aidou jerked, eyes flaring. "Yori, what are you doing?" his voice was measured, dangerously even. She suppressed a shudder.

Her heart had started to hammer in her chest, her veins chilling, but she steadied herself and continued. She couldn't bear to see him this way. Yuuki had done this. Yuuki had been through the same experience, with only a Band-Aid to show for it. She straightened her shoulders. It couldn't possibly be that bad.

Decisively, she grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, leaving her only in her yellow camisole and skirt. She heard Aidou's sharp intake of breath, but merely kept her eyes on him calmly, dropping the material at her feet.

"Yori, Yori _no_. Open the door right now, Yori. _Please_," he was glancing around the room franticly; searching for some escape, but the only one available was the door, which was now locked. The window a possible route as well, but frosted shut, and in attempting to jump down he was likely to be discovered. And hungry.

"No," she was surprised that her voice came so strongly.

"Yori, if you don't unlock the door this instant, I swear I'll break it down," he hissed, backing up on the bed.

"You can't. If you did, first of all you'd owe me a door, and secondly, the noise would attract every resident of the hall. I don't think you want to be discovered, especially in this state," she replied, coming closer.

"This isn't funny," he growled. "Do you think this is some kind of joke?! Do you?!" he backed away further, eyes widening as his back hit the headboard with an audible thud.

"No, I don't think it's a joke," she murmured, coming to stand alongside the bed. "But you can't stay like this. Do you want to hurt some innocent person by accident? I'm offering myself to you freely."

"_No._ Not you, Yori, please. Anyone but you," he was begging, eyes shut to block out her image.

"Why? Is something wrong with my blood?" she demanded, moving to sit on the mattress in front of him.

"No! Nothing's wrong with your blood!" his eyes flew open in protest, and he immediately closed them again, realizing how close she was. He started to shake with effort.

"Then there's no problem," she stated.

She was afraid, yes. She wasn't sure how it would feel. Would it hurt? Would there be no pain at all? But somehow, she _wanted_ it. As selfish as the thought was, she wanted to feel it, to feel that she had somehow been claimed by him, connected directly to him. To feel him so close… She couldn't really deny it any longer, anyway. She had fallen for him, and she wanted this for herself as much as she wanted it to ease his suffering. She forced herself to take another breath to calm herself. She just couldn't sit and watch idly while he was in so much pain.

"Yes, there's a problem!" he half snarled. "There's every problem!" He opened his eyes, pleading, "I don't want to hurt you. Please, Yori. Don't make me do this."

She smiled, "You won't hurt me. I promise."

"Do you even understand what you're saying?! Dammit Yori, I could _kill_ you!"

"You won't," she whispered. "You won't."

"I could! What if…what if I took too much…," his expression was so distraught that she couldn't bear it.

"You won't," she repeated, sliding closer, hands closing around one of his and bringing it, unresisting, to press gently against the side of her neck. She shivered against the touch, feeling her pulse beating madly against his skin.

A thousand expressions crossed his face in an instant, far too many for her to read or comprehend. She could see the fear, the indecision, but also the _desire_. She knew that the beast within him craved desperately for him to give in, to satisfy himself on her blood. She prayed that the vampire part of him would be strong enough to overwhelm the human this time.

She felt his hand flinch against her, trying to close, trying to break away, his whole body shaking, warring with itself. He bowed his head, fighting, but she could see how his fangs jutted out, impossible to hide. She was sure that he had never had to want for fresh blood, at least before he had moved into the Kuran residence. She was hoping that fact would work to her advantage in the current situation.

"_Shit_," she heard him spit out, his hand moving convulsively to grip her shoulder. It took all she had to keep from smiling in triumph.

"I'm sorry, Yori. I'm so sorry," he murmured, pulling her into his arms.

He struggled with himself a moment longer, pressing his lips to her forehead, her cheek, before moving to brush against her throat. She shivered, her heart flying as she felt the feather light touch of his mouth against her neck. The hand that she had pressed there moments before had come around to gently cup the back of her neck, the other held securely around her waist.

"Forgive me," came the last words before she felt his fangs suddenly penetrate her fragile skin.

Her body went rigid with the sharp sting of pain that washed through her. She bit back a gasp, hands coming up to dig her fingers into his shoulders. Her mind was screaming with the after effects of his bite. But when she calmed herself, forced her body to relax and her fingers to loosen, she noticed that the pain was gone.

Rather, in its place, she felt strangely warm… Warm and adrift, a pleasant sensation tingling through her veins. She relaxed further, moving her arms around him, leaning against him. Her mind was fogged, thoughts blunted and blurred, conscious only of the almost seductive feeling that was taking over.

She hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly wasn't anything like this. And Aidou himself was unexpectedly gentle. He was holding her carefully, clearly trying his best not to harm her in any further way. She could feel his trembling still, and she drew him closer still, attempting to convey to him that she was alright. Somehow, she couldn't find the willpower to speak.

With the pull of her blood from her body, she felt her skin draw closer to his. His heart was beating against hers, calming itself, now. She could feel each breath, each swallow, each movement. It was as if her body had been synced totally, completely with his. Unbidden, a single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. She didn't want this moment to end, didn't want to move. She was feeling too warm, too content. For the first time in a long time, she could not feel even a trace of loneliness.

She closed her eyes. She could breathe in his scent now, feel the curve of his spine beneath her fingers. Her body felt strangely aware of him, sparking with his every tiny movement. She flushed, but didn't move. If anything, she only wanted to be closer, if that were even possible.

Abruptly, he tensed. She felt his fangs slide from her skin, his tongue sealing the twin puncture marks. Her body sagged a little, suddenly unsure of how to support its own weight. Her arms fell away from him, fingers catching grip in the front of his shirt to steady herself. She could hear his breathing slowing, and along with it, feel his heart speeding.

"Yori?" there was a hint a panic to his tone. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," she reassured him, opening her eyes to focus on his, clear blue but tinged with apprehension.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I took too much…"

"I'll be fine," she repeated, voice gaining in strength. She forced herself to concentrate, feeling her thoughts sharpen. She was a little weak and her head a little dizzy, but otherwise she didn't feel bad at all. In fact, the warmth had remained in her limbs. She wanted to stay where she was, even though she knew the moment would soon be over.

She bit her lip, feeling a moment of sadness creep over her. Now, more than ever, she understood how important he had become to her, and how much she wanted to be close to him. But already the moment was fading, and the night could only last so long. She didn't have much more of her letter to finish, and then he would be gone.

Aidou leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers gently. His eyes latched onto hers, once again blue, so blue they could make the sky itself jealous. "You're not alone, Yori," he murmured, as if he could see straight into her heart. She felt more than a little dazed now, and not from the blood loss.

Her fingers tightened against his shirt. Her heart was accelerating again, and it was making her more light-headed. She wanted those words to be true. She wanted him to stay close like this for a little longer, so she could lose herself again in the blue and forget about everything else.

* * *

The guilt Aidou felt for having given in to his vampire side had vanished. He hadn't hurt her. He had tasted it in her blood, just as he had tasted everything else in her heart. His own heart was practically singing. She had fallen for him? He had fallen for her long ago. And now that he knew how truly lonely she was, he was determined to never let her feel so lonely again.

Looking at her now, he could see that she was still disconcerted from the blood loss, but recovering well. Her expression was slightly lost, captured by his eyes. He shifted her body a little closer, feeling how warm she was against him and wanting to keep her there forever. He had completely forgotten his past irritation with delivering letters, or with this very same girl. She, and the letters, had become the center of his world, and he wanted her to know.

Without hesitation, he tilted her chin up and pressed his lips against hers gently. Her mouth was soft and warm against his, and he felt her fingers tighten again reflexively in his shirt, but she didn't pull away. For the briefest of moments, he held her there, savoring the taste of her mouth, the taste of her blood that still lingered in his mouth, and the pressure of her body against his.

He released her another moment later, watching her face carefully. She wasn't shocked, or angry, but seemed only a little surprised. The only other noticeable change was the faint flush that had crept over her cheeks.

He grinned suddenly, elated. He was about to kiss her again, but he caught the clock in the corner of his eye.

"Shit."

Slowly, Yori's eyes moved to the clock as well. He felt her cringe a little.

"I guess that means you need to go to bed," he mumbled, a little depressed. He had just discovered Yori's true feelings, and already he had to leave. He frowned at her abruptly, "Have you ever considered professional gambling? You have the best poker face of anyone I've ever seen." Hell, he hadn't even had the slightest inkling that she liked him before this.

She smiled at that. "I'll take it into consideration."

"I guess I'll have to show you my hat hair after all," he joked. "Since you just admitted you're attracted to me." His eyes gleamed at her wickedly. Even if he didn't know from her blood, she certainly hadn't pulled away from his kiss.

She flushed a little, but didn't deny it; replying, "That sounds like a deal."

"Are you going to finish your letter?" he asked, releasing her. She slid a little further down the bed, moving to sit on the edge.

Her face grew thoughtful. Then, "Not exactly. I think I'll end it with a sentence or two."

He passed her the paper and pencil, and she scribbled a few lines at the bottom before ending the letter and slipping it into the envelope. "There," she passed it back to him. "I think that should be good."

"Are you sure you're alright? I can stay if you're not feeling well. You should be okay, but I don't want to leave you if you're feeling particularly dizzy."

She shook her head. "I'm fine. It's nothing a little sleep won't cure. But thank you."

He smiled, "Alright." He leaned over to touch her cheek and kiss her again, still gently but this time with a little more force. For a third time that pale pink flush colored her cheeks, but she made no complaint. "Sleep well."

"Good night," she whispered.

During the entire trip home, Aidou couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

A/N: Okay, now you _know _you wanna review this one.


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